JONESBORO, Ga. — Two former Jonesboro Police officers have filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging they were retaliated against and fired after reporting alleged wrongdoing by Jonesboro's mayor.
11Alive broke the news of those allegations last Septemeber and the investigation that followed, where the Georgia Bureau of Investigation found no wrongdoing by the mayor.
Former Jonesboro officers Daryll Triplett and Godreque Newsom said they've both been through the wringer since Mayor Donya Sartor took office in March 2023.
Both men allege that Sartor has acted both unethically and criminally.
Two investigations were launched-- one through the GBI and another through the city.
The city's investigation found policy violations on Sartor's behalf, but the GBI found no criminal wrongdoing.
Now, Triplett and Newsom are saying Sartor and the city violated the state's Whistleblower Act for allegedly retaliating against them.
Attorney and legal expert Darryl Cohen said the standard of proof can be a little different in cases like this.
“Civil is just preponderance of evidence. People say, what is that? It's just a little more than half—51% as opposed to 49%," Cohen said.
Cohen added it's very likely that the case will end up being mediated.
“It has very bad optics and no one from Jonesboro wants to be on the front page," he said.
There are several allegations in the lawsuit, including a claim that Sartor pulled a gun on Newsom, misuse of police resources— quid pro quo and ultimately termination when these men stepped forward.
However, Sartor has maintained that the whole ordeal is rooted in racism because she’s the first Black mayor.
The lawsuit was filed on March 12 in Federal Court.
Cohen said if the former officers win-- the award could be substantial.
“If the jury finds that the mayor is, in fact, culpable. They could say, 'X amount of dollars. A million dollars. Punitive damages,'" Cohen said.
11Alive spoke with Sartor, who said she hadn't received a copy of the lawsuit yet and couldn't comment.