Jury rules in town of Beloit discrimination case
Both sides are claiming victory after a three-day trial over racial discrimination in the Town of Beloit Police Department.
The jury late Wednesday afternoon determined that race was a factor when former Police Chief John Wilson denied local business owner Anthony Smith the right to apply to be on the department’s call list for towing services.
That’s a “huge victory” for Smith, his attorney Anne Sulton said.
However, the jury found that if race weren’t a factor, Wilson still would have denied Smith the right to apply even if Smith were white, court documents state.
“The jury came back and found there were reasons besides race for denying him (Smith) a right to apply to be on the tow list,” said Ben Brantmeier, attorney for the town of Beloit.
The jury also found that Wilson did not violate Smith’s 14th Amendment rights, according to court documents.
Finally, the jury determined the town did not have a policy of racial discrimination, the court documents state.
For a full story, read Thursday's Janesville Gazette, read online in the Gazette’s E-Edition or check back at GazetteXtra.com.
