Man sues Speed Mining, contractor for racial discrimination

CHARLESTON -- A man is suing Speed Mining and Lightning Contract Services for racial discrimination.

Terry Spence and Dean Brammer, employees of the defendant companies, were also named as defendants in the suit.

Raymond Logan was hired by Lightning in early 2011 as an underground red hat miner, according to a complaint filed Nov. 4 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Logan claims he was assigned to work at Speed Mining, but during his employment he was subjected to severe racial remarks by co-workers and mine bosses.

During his employment, Logan was told by a co-worker that there was something in the break room for him, but when he went to the break room, he saw two nooses hanging from the ceiling, according to the suit.

Logan claims the nooses were brought in by Brammer and that Spence walked by them when Logan was in the room and did not take action to remove them.

Later, Logan was terminated from his employment, which he believes was not because of the "racially charged atmosphere in the workplace," according to the suit.

Logan is seeking compensatory and punitive damages with pre- and post-judgment interest. He is being represented by Matthew S. Criswell and Mark L. French.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Louis H. Bloom.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 11-C-1972