Former Cumberland County Central Communications Center Director Mike Blackwood has filed a lawsuit against Cumberland County.
Blackwood accuses the county and other government entities of violating his first amendment rights, open meeting laws, and the Tennessee Public Employee Political Freedom Act.
The 19-page complaint alleges that Cumberland County Mayor Kenneth Carey fired Blackwood for speaking out on budget and employee matters. In addition, Blackwood says the mayor called him gay, spread falls rumors, and claimed he had a relationship with a dispatch employee.
Blackwood was terminated from his position in August of 2017.
The lawsuit seeks a jury trial, back pay for loss of benefits, reinstatement, and compensatory damages for humiliation, emotional distress, anxiety, and loss of enjoyment of life.
