Investigator Fired for Not Saying Police Planted Gun Loses Suit

The constitutional suit by an investigator for Chicago’s Civilian Office of Police Accountability, who was disciplined for refusing to write a report saying police used a planted gun to justify a civilian shooting, was properly dismissed, the Seventh Circuit said.

Kelvin Lett’s speech was part of his official duties, and therefore wasn’t protected by the First Amendment, the opinion by Judge Amy C. Barrett said.

Lett didn’t think the evidence supported the conclusion the officers used a drop piece. His supervisor disagreed and told him to write his report saying they did.

When Lett refused, he was taken off investigations, ...