Maryland Police Face Civil Rights Discrimination Lawsuit

A civil case concerning police accountability in Maryland began in Greenbelt’s US District Court on Monday. The case involves Mohamed Magassouba, the current police chief of Capitol Heights, who alleges discrimination during his time with the Prince George’s County Police Department.

Background

Mohamed Magassouba previously worked for the Prince George’s County Police Department (PGCPD) before joining the Capitol Heights Police Department in 2022.

Allegations of Discrimination and Retaliation

According to Magassouba’s attorney, Jordan Howlette, Magassouba was a highly regarded officer with multiple awards. The legal dispute began in 2019 when Magassouba was assisting a White officer in the arrest of a Black woman. Howlette claims that after Magassouba refused to alter his statement regarding the use of force in the arrest, he faced discrimination and retaliation for approximately 30 months.

Details of the Claims

Court documents detail instances of alleged attacks on Magassouba, including disparaging remarks related to his Guinean heritage. Magassouba was ultimately terminated from his position in 2021.

Prince George’s County Police Department’s Response

The PGCPD has denied all claims of racial discrimination, retaliation, and a hostile work environment. Legal representatives for the defendants, including the police department and specific officers, stated that Magassouba’s termination was based on factors unrelated to his race or national origin.

Presenting Evidence in Court

During the trial, Howlette informed the jury that Magassouba sought medical treatment for anxiety, and a psychologist had previously alerted the department to the impact of this treatment. The attorney representing Magassouba’s former superiors countered by asserting that Magassouba was not the exemplary officer portrayed and that he failed to disclose two prior arrests during his application process with the PGCPD.

Previous Leadership and Departmental Issues

The case occurred during Hank Stawinski’s tenure as chief of the Prince George’s County Police Department. Stawinski resigned in 2020 following a federal lawsuit filed by the Hispanic National Law Enforcement Officers Association, which included an expert report detailing alleged incidents of racial discrimination, retaliation, and abuse within the department.