Jury awards plaintiff $1.5 million in town of Beloit discrimination case
BELOIT TOWNSHIP— A federal jury Thursday awarded $1.495 million to Willie and Mary Abegglen, a former police sergeant and the current court clerk for the town of Beloit.
Of that total, the jury found former Police Chief John Wilson and current Administrator Bob Museus were liable for $500,000 each for their actions, said Bill Rettko, attorney for the Abegglens.
The Abegglens claimed they were punished for speaking against racial comments made by Wilson, according to court documents.
The rest of the damages were awarded for the Abegglens’ lost wages, lost benefits and emotional pain and suffering, Rettko said.
The jury found that seven people were liable for violating the couple’s rights. Only Wilson and Museus were liable for damages, Rettko said. The other five were former or current members of the Beloit Town Board.
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