Ohio man alleging discrimination gets new trial

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — A Toledo man who says the city and its former mayor discriminated against him because of his race and laid him off in retaliation has won a new day in court.

Gary Daugherty in 2008 filed a lawsuit against the city and then-Mayor Carlton Finkbeiner, describing a culture of racism, unequal pay and retaliation for employees who complained about the environment.

The city and Finkbeiner have denied those claims and say Daugherty was laid off with 22 other employees.

In an opinion today, a three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati ordered a new trial for Daugherty.

They wrote that a federal judge wrongfully dismissed Daugherty’s discrimination claim and must re-examine two examples of employee retaliation in the city for use during the new trial.