On Thursday, a Hampshire Superior Court Judge denied the city of Greenfield and the city’s police chief’s motion for a new trial after a jury found both parties guilty of discriminating against the police department’s sole Black officer during a round of promotions in 2014.
Patrick Buchanan, former Greenfield police officer, sued the Greenfield Police Department and Police Chief Robert Haigh for denying him a promotion in 2014 when the police chief chose to promote multiple officers with documented misbehavior over Buchanan.
A white Greenfield police officer who’s had a significant history of alcohol abuse and another white officer who was documented stealing drugs and money from a seizure and displayed a Confederate Flag outside a property they own were in line for promotion ahead of Buchanan, according to court records.
Buchanan was the department’s only Black officer at the time in 2014.
Police Chief Haigh would go on to suspend and demote Buchanan in 2015 for refusing to give a 17-year-old a speeding ticket and telling the young man to use the money he would’ve spent on the ticket to buy his mother a nice Christmas gift, court records read.
Haigh used the terms “lazy” and “did not fit the bill” when explaining to a Hampshire court jury why Buchanan was skipped for promotions and later demoted.
While he wasn’t explicitly stated to be lined up for promotion over Buchanan, former Greenfield police Sgt. James Rode killed a person while driving 70 to 80 mph in a 25 mph Greenfield residential area on October in 2021 when he was on duty.
While Sgt. Rode was convicted of criminal charges, the court found that the department still showed favor and grace to the white officer by placing Rode as “injured on duty” for 16 months — with a total pay of approximately $127,000.
“Injured on duty” benefits are typically limited to officers without fault, court records stated.
On May 6, the jury found the Greenfield Police Department and Chief Haigh guilty of discriminating against former officer Patrick Buchanan.
The jury found that Buchanan was owed $92,930 in lost back wages and $350,000 for emotional distress.
On June 14, a court judgment stated that Buchanan is now owed slightly over $1 million after a judge signed off on an additional $567,544 in attorney fees, prejudgement interest and statutory costs that should also be paid to Buchanan, according to court documents.
Police chief Haigh told MassLive in a prior interview he thought the trial was “unfair.” Leading his and the city’s attorneys to request an appeal for a new trial in June.
“I vehemently deny that I’ve done anything racially motivated. I’ve never done anything like that in my life,” Haigh said.
“Evidence of Buchanan’s treatment, compared to that of white officers, when coupled with over evidence, amply supported the jury’s verdict that the real reason for Buchanan’s discipline and lack of promotion was racial animus,” Superior Court Judge Mark D. Mason wrote in his brief denying the new trial.
Buchanan’s attorney, Tim Ryan, said that he and his client are “gratified and relieved” that the new trial appeal process is over.
The city of Greenfield and Police Chief Haigh have the ability to file an appeal of the judge’s decision.
Ad Choices