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Judge: Tulsa Violated Civil Rights Act in 2010

The entrance to the federal court house in downtown Tulsa.
KWGS News Photo
The entrance to the federal court house in downtown Tulsa.

A federal judge has ruled that the city of Tulsa violated the Civil Rights Act when it retaliated against a black police officer who objected after being ordered to march in a Martin Luther King Day parade.

The Tulsa World reports that U.S. District Judge John Dowdell ruled in favor of Capt. Walter Busby Jr.'s retaliation claim on Thursday. Dowdell ordered the city to remove Busby's unfavorable performance evaluation, credit him with 453 hours of combined vacation and sick leave he took following his reassignment, and pay his attorney fees.

Dowdell ruled against Busby's allegations of discrimination.

Busby filed the lawsuit in 2011 against the city, Police Chief Chuck Jordan and two other superior officers. He alleged he was ordered to march in the 2010 parade and was later denied to take time off during the march.