KINGWOOD — Two Kingwood police officers are suing Kingwood citiy officials, alleging wrongful termination, violation of the whistle-blower law, obstruction of justice, abuse of process, violations of statutes and defamation of character.
Felix Thorn and Nestor Todd filed a complaint in Preston Circuit Court against the city of Kingwood, the Kingwood City Council and Mayor Juan Guillot, alleging the defendants fabricated pre-textual grounds for termination against the plaintiffs for the purpose of getting rid of them them.
According to the complaint, on April 27, Todd was fired for refusing to compromise an active criminal investigation, and Thorn was fired strictly on a guilt-by-association basis. The plaintiffs allege Kingwood officials intimated and/or retaliated when Todd refused to divulge investigation details publicly, which is an violation of West Virginia Whistle Blower Act. Also, the suit says, the defendants did not tell the plaintiffs about their rights to a hearing and were never afforded such a hearing.
The lawsuit states the plaintiffs have suffered loss of income and benefits, humiliation, loss of standing in the community and mental anguish.
Thorn and Todd seek trial by jury, punitive damages, attorney fees, compensatory damages for mental and emotional anguish, lost income, all other lost benefits, plus all other appropriate and just relief. They are represented by attorney David Grunau of Morgantown.
Preston Circuit Court case number 18-C-64
