Opinion ID: 2211733
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: cox's evidence

Text: At the hearing, Cox testified that prior to his termination, he held the position of sergeant and was the team leader of a 10- to 16-person team. According to Cox, on August 20, 1998, he received two to three messages that Creighton was trying to get in touch with him. Cox then informed McPhillips that Creighton had been trying to get in touch with him. Cox testified that he asked McPhillips if he had McPhillips' permission to talk to Creighton and that McPhillips answered, Yes. Cox then testified that he reemphasized his request by stating: Can I talk to her, answer any questions that she asks me about anything other than inmates ... because I know policy is you cannot discuss inmates. Cox testified that McPhillips replied you're right. Following this conversation, Cox attended a meeting and then went with McPhillips to see Warden Ann O'Connor, the warden in charge of uniformed officers, about Cox's speaking with Creighton. The record indicates that Cox did this because he wanted to avoid any repercussions that could occur from jumping the chain of command by speaking to Creighton without permission. According to Cox, O'Connor did not voice any objections to his speaking with Creighton, and McPhillips did not indicate to Cox that he was limited in the scope of his conversation with Creighton. After speaking with O'Connor, Cox also informed a third warden that he was going to speak with Creighton. Cox testified that at the end of the day, he again sought out McPhillips and asked if he could answer questions from Creighton about anything other than inmates. According to Cox, McPhillips answered yes. There is no evidence in the record that disputes Cox's testimony that he had permission to talk with Creighton. Cox next went to a break room, where a telephone for general use was available, and called Creighton. When Cox first began his conversation with Creighton, the break room was empty. However, while he was on the telephone, other people entered the room. On the whole, Cox estimated that his conversation with Creighton lasted 15 to 20 minutes and that other people were present in the room during approximately 5 to 10 minutes of the conversation. Cox testified that he did not invite anyone else to take part in the conversation, that he did not give Creighton permission to distribute any portion of the conversation to others, and that he told Creighton numerous times that he would not appear on television out of concern that his statements would be perceived as statements of fact rather than as his personal opinion. Cox admitted that the people in the break room with him were able to hear his conversation, and he stated that he did not attempt to hide the conversation from them. Cox stated that it did not really bother him if the people in the break room heard him because he was expressing his personal opinions. Cox testified that at the end of the conversation, he again refused to participate in a television appearance even if his face would be disguised. Cox testified that during his conversation with Creighton, he responded to questions posed by her. Specifically, Cox testified regarding the following questions and responses: (1) Cox testified that Creighton asked him if he felt there was a racial problem with some racial tension within the correctional center. Cox responded [y]es, I do to this question. Cox testified that he still held this belief at the time of the hearing but that he never indicated to Creighton that some of the correctional center employees were in fact racists. (2) Cox testified that Creighton asked him if he heard anything about the union president, Stebbins, possibly having a hood in his trunk. Cox responded, I have heard that rumor. Cox testified that he also repeated the statement made to him by Creighton that [t]he union president has a hood in his trunk and stated [y]es, I think he may have. Cox testified that he never made a statement indicating that the union president did, in fact, have a hood in his trunk. (3) Cox testified that Creighton asked him about concerns she indicated were expressed to the county board that Dunning was taking over the jail for one main purpose only. Cox stated that Creighton specifically asked since you've been here 11 or 12 years, do you know of any black supervisors in the Sheriff's Department? Cox responded that to the best of his knowledge, there had never been a black supervisor in the sheriff's department during his tenure. (4) Cox testified that Creighton asked him about a black warden, Larry Johnson, by stating, I've known Larry for a long time. What's going on down at the Correctional Center? In response, Cox explained that Johnson used to be in charge of all uniformed officers, but then employees were told that O'Connor was assigned to take his place for a period of months in order to learn the position, while Johnson was to learn the position held by McPhillips and a Warden Miller. Miller subsequently retired, and no one assumed his duties. The record indicates this caused people to question whether Johnson still had a job. Cox testified that he then told Creighton, To the best of my knowledge, he basically has no duties. (5) Cox testified that on one occasion, Rita Walker, an employee on his team, came to him with a complaint and stated that she wished to talk with O'Connor. As a result, a meeting was arranged. However, Walker reported to Cox the next day that she had been kept waiting outside of O'Connor's office with no explanation and stated that [w]ell, I'll bet if I was a white officer, she wouldn't have made me wait. Cox testified that this statement made him nervous and that he arranged for a new appointment to be made for Walker to talk to O'Connor. Cox testified that in regard to this incident, Creighton stated to him, I heard that you was [sic] involved with an incident where one of the people on your team was summoned to the warden's office and she wasn't talked to. Cox testified that he replied, Yes ... that's right. (6) Cox testified that Creighton asked him '[w]hat's up with this Captain Lee that just thinks he does what he wants when he wants? ... I've had people make comments that he acts like he's a dictator or possibly even a Hitler, or something of that nature.' Cox testified that he told Creighton that he had just left a meeting in which it was discussed that Lee ran his shift the way he wanted, that there was some animosity regarding this, and that he was referred to as Hitler at the meeting. Cox testified that he did not tell Creighton that Lee was in fact a Hitler and that he did not create the term or first use the term in relation to Lee during the conversation. Cox testified that following the call, he informed McPhillips that he had completed the call and that McPhillips did not make any inquiry regarding the substance of the conversation. Cox testified that all of the statements he made were not false and were expressions of his personal opinion. Cox also testified that he had no intent to harm others by making the statements. Regina Davis, as the union steward, represented Cox at his predisciplinary hearing. Davis testified that Cox never stated or admitted during the hearing that he told Creighton as a matter of fact that the union president had a hood in his car. Davis testified that based on her observations and experience within the correctional center setting, she agreed with the statement that the correctional center had a problem with racial discrimination. Davis also testified that over the course of her experience with the Department, she could not recall a black supervisor within the sheriff's department. In regard to the warden who was alleged to have no job duties, Davis indicated that at the time Cox spoke with Creighton, the statement was consistent with her understanding of the situation. Davis testified that the statement regarding the black officer who was made to wait outside O'Connor's office was correct. Finally, Davis testified that she had heard Lee referred to as Hitler by employees prior to Cox's conversation with Creighton. Creighton was subpoenaed, but refused to testify under a shield law for newscasters. However, she signed a letter, which was entered into evidence, stating that Cox spoke with her at her request, that he responded to questions posed by her, and that he expressed his personal opinions regarding various subjects instead of expressing statements of fact. On a vote of 2 to 1, the Commission voted to uphold the employment termination decision. Alleging in part that there was insufficient evidence to support his termination of employment and that the termination violated his First Amendment rights, Cox appealed via a petition in error to the district court. The district court, without discussing the First Amendment issue in its order, found the Commission's decision was supported by sufficient evidence and affirmed. Cox appeals.