Racism suit filed against constable
Racism suit filed against constable
By Neil Strassman
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Tarrant County Constable Jack Allen has
been accused in a federal lawsuit by a former employee
of frequently using racial slurs and targeting minorities
in enforcing the law.
The suit, filed by Dionicia Gaucin, an
11-year county employee who worked one year as a clerk
in Allen's office, accuses the constable of using derogatory
terms for Hispanics and African-Americans and of "telling
others that the bullets in his gun were meant to shoot
browns and blacks."
Allen acknowledged using the word "wetback"
and apologized to Gaucin for the comment, according
to the county's written response to the suit.
Allen, a constable since 1990 in northwest
Tarrant County, declined to comment on the suit. Assistant
District Attorney Ward White III, who is representing
Allen and the county, denied the other allegations.
Gaucin and her attorney met with county
officials Tuesday at the direction of U.S. District
Judge John McBryde in an effort to settle the complaint,
but no agreement was reached.
"My client wants to see something
done so that people can work in the precinct without
being subjected to racist comments." said
Robert Lee, Gaucin's attorney. "This should
be addressed right now."
>Allen has had his share of troubles recently.
In March, the county was forced to dismiss six months'
worth of tickets that he had written and refund fines
because his peace officer's license had lapsed in September
2001.
In January 2001, Allen shot out a tire
on a Springtown man's vehicle while attempting to arrest
him for dumping tires illegally.
According to the lawsuit, Gaucin worked
as a clerk for Allen from November 2000 to September
2001. She now works as a clerk for a constable in another
precinct.
The lawsuit, filed Aug. 13, alleges that
Allen initially did not want to hire Gaucin because
she is Hispanic. The suit says Allen used derogatory
terms such as "wetback" in referring to her
as a potential employee, and derided Hispanics as "all
lazy and not trustworthy."
The suit accuses Allen of treating Hispanics
and African-Americans "with total disdain and contempt,"
and says he disproportionately ticketed, arrested and
mistreated Hispanics and African-Americans.
The suit alleges that Gaucin was given
a heavy workload with no assistance or support.
She is seeking monetary damages for emotional
distress, the lawsuit says.
The county argued in its written response
to the suit that Gaucin is not entitled to damages for
termination because she has continuously been employed
by the county.
Gaucin initially complained to Assistant
County Administrator Jay Singleton, but she was told
that she had missed a seven-day deadline for lodging
a complaint. That deadline has since been extended to
30 days.
She then filed a complaint with the federal
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, but the agency
declined to rule in her favor.
McBryde is expected to rule in about 10 days on whether
there is enough evidence to proceed with the suit, White
said.
Neil Strassman, (817) 390-7679 strass@star-telegram.com
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