Former Officer’s Case against Ashland in discovery period; Depositions to begin this month

An attorney for Thomas Whitener, a former Ashland Police Officer who filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the city in October 2023, says the case is currently in discovery. Depositions are expected to begin later this month.

In the lawsuit, Whitener claims the city wrongfully terminated him after he accused former APD Chief Gabe Edwards of misconduct. The lawsuit also states that concerns about Edwards were brought to City Administrator Kyle Michel in July 2023, who then placed Whitener on administrative leave pending a psych evaluation. Whitener says the city never scheduled the evaluation and asked him to come pick up his final paycheck on August 8th. When he arrived at City Hall, Whitener claims he was told that if he didn’t sign a letter of resignation, he would be terminated. Whitener says he refused to sign the letter but was then fired and removed from APD’s website.

The lawsuit demands a jury trial and claims the city retaliated against Whitener for disclosing Edwards’ misconduct. Since the termination of his employment, Whitener says he has sustained damage, including lost wages and benefits, emotional distress, humiliation, and loss of reputation. He is requesting that the City immediately reinstate his employment with APD, pay him back wages as well as pay his attorney fees and cost of litigation.

The City of Ashland says Whitener resigned from APD with a final pay date of Aug. 11th, 2023. The city also claims they have no record of any grievances filed by Whitener against any current or former employee of the city. Michel says that lawsuit settlements are generally handled by the city’s insurer.