An African American firefighter is suing Fresno Fire Department and several top fire officials on claims of discrimination, retaliation and harassment.
David Phillips-Kerley, who has worked for the department since 2004, says in the 45-page lawsuit that he was disciplined for filing a hostile work environment complaint, according to the suit filed last week in U.S. District Court.
He also claims a fire captain showed him a "training" video depicting a whistleblower's murder. Plus, Phillips-Kerley accuses Fire Chief Kerri Donis of conspiring with her sister to fire Phillips-Kerley's wife from her job at Valley Children's Hospital as retaliation. The Bee reached out to city officials for comment but they declined, citing the pending litigation.