Former Police Chief of Welch, who was sued, is running for magistrate

WELCH, WV (LOOTPRESS) — A former Police Chief in Welch , who was sued, is now running for magistrate in McDowell County.

In June 2005, a tragic incident in Welch, West Virginia, led to legal action after Claude Green, 43, suffered a heart attack and was denied critical care due to a police officer’s mistaken belief that Green had HIV. Green’s friend, Billy Snead, began performing CPR to save him, but Chief of Police Robert Bowman intervened, ordering Snead to stop based on a false assumption. Green was left without aid for nearly 10 minutes until paramedics arrived, but he later died.

It was later revealed that Green did not have HIV, leading to outrage from his family, who believed Bowman acted out of discrimination based on Green’s sexual orientation. In March 2006, the ACLU filed a lawsuit against Bowman and the City of Welch, alleging discrimination and violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

According to court filings, on April 16, 2007, a settlement was reached between Helen Green, Claude’s mother, and the City of Welch. It’s unknown what the settlement was. After settling, Green dismissed her claims with prejudice against former Police Chief Robert Bowman.

Bowman filed to run for Magistrate Division 3 in McDowell County on August 19, 2024. The seat came open after Magistrate Danny Mitchell passed away in May.

Other candidates running for the open seat are Ronald “Ronnie” Blevins, Marcia L. Hebb, and John “Andy” Vance.