Black Fireman Served Dog Food Gets $2.7M

L.A. Firefighter Sued After Getting Spaghetti Laced With Dog Food From Fellow Firefighters

(AP)  A black firefighter will be paid $2.7 million to settle claims he suffered racial harassment and discrimination after fellow firefighters served him spaghetti laced with dog food.

The award was the latest in a string of settlements by the Los Angeles City Council of lawsuits alleging harassment, discrimination and hostility within the fire department.

Firefighter Tennie Pierce, 51, said in his suit that firefighter Jorge Arevalo mixed canned dog food purchased by Capt. John Tohill into Pierce's dinner at their station two years ago and another captain, Chris Burton, knew about the trick but didn't say anything.

Pierce "took a large bite, at which time he noticed the other firefighters were laughing and making noises," the lawsuit said. After taking a second bite, he demanded to know what was in the food but no one would speak up.

Pierce said he suffered retaliation for reporting the incident to supervisors and was subjected to "verbal slurs, insults (and) derogatory remarks," including taunting by firefighters "barking like dogs (and) asking him how dog food tasted."

A fire department investigation suggested the October 2004 incident was intended to be a prank to "humble" Pierce after a station volleyball game where he had said, "You guys keep feeding the Big Dog."

The three firefighters were dropped from the lawsuit as part of the settlement. As punishment, the two captains were given one month off without pay, and Arevalo was ordered off work for three days without pay.

Along with the settlement, Pierce will be placed on paid administrative leave until April, when he reaches his 20th anniversary with the department. After that, he will be eligible to collect retirement benefits.

"This ordeal has taken its toll on me and my family," Pierce said in a statement issued by his attorney. "I truly hope that my case will make a difference for African-Americans in the Los Angeles Fire Department."

Pierce's claim was one of several cited in a pair of audits released in January, alleging a pattern of harassment and discrimination against women and minorities working for the department.

Last month, the city awarded $220,000 to a firefighter who said he was sexually harassed by the captain, then retaliated against when he complained. In September, a female firefighter was awarded $320,000 because of her supervisor's persistent sexual advances.

[agnim]

The white supremacist powers that be could have been proactive and used far less monies to do sensitive training against racism and avoid the huge (and deserved) payout and embarrassment.

I bet the urgency to avoid another huge expenditure will get the anti-racist message out for sure:
If you haven't a good heart, then you shall be made to pay. LOL

[limited94]

Just what is an "African-American"? Was he from Africa? I don't call myself and English-American, why do they have to call themselves "African Americans". Most of them (and most of all americans) couldn't find Africa on a map. We should all just be called Americans. Until then, we will always have these problems.

[ladyephesus1]

Limited94, it would be nice if they could change job applications and other forms from asking our race wouldnt it? Does it even matter??
African American or not, this is the way of life in America. either you are white or black, doesnt matter where you came from. Doesnt say in the bible what color jesus really was, does it?
The world is ignorant.....blah blah blah!!

[hatetheright]

The racist pigs that did this are to blame! Not the NAACP, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton or some other liberal entity - But feel free to defend your bigoted brethren and their outdated, moronic notions about race. This is just another example of the fiends that are touted as heroes by the sheepish masses of this nation.

[agnim]

limited

No need to call yourself 'english-american', because the whole planet is the evil empire of the english, right? LOL

Limited, maybe African Americans are proud to identify with the land of the FIRST MAN, the AFRICAN, the BLACK MAN!

[kguiffre]

I don't see where this was a racist issue. If it were a white man yelling, "Feed the Big Dog" at the Volley Ball Game, same thing would have happened. It is just another example the the Black Man crying, "Poor Pitiful Me", "Everyone owes me something." Really, Courts need to start tossing cases like this into the garbage and stop wasting time and money. I'm sure dog food has been served as a prank here and there for hundreds of years to other colors besides black; these fireman weren't the first ones to come up with the idea, however stupid. They should have had sense enough to know that if the victim were black, what they were up against. Still needs to be tossed out before any monetary gain is paid out. Stupid on judge's part. If this person left the courtroom and slipped and fell, it would probably be because he is black and someone owes him something. Give me a break.

[nakoni1]

Where was the racial harassment?

Having read the story 3 times looking for racial harassment, I never saw it. What I did see was a talking trash braggart involved in a sporting event. Who got his comeuppance and one upped. Then instead of taking it like a man, he reverted to a 2 year old by being a tattle tale.


The only one making it about race was the fireman himself. By being a professional victim, he achieved his goal of a large settlement to boost his retirement fund . Shame on him and same on the Los Angeles City Council.

[gunnerv1]

Remember, this is taking place on the Liberal "Left" Coast and inside Union Shops. I thought that only the Republicans and Conservatives did this kind of thing. Oh, I'm sorrym my "Bushisms" are showing.

[lochlan-2009]

The race card is played again at the tax payers expense. Secretly fed dog food=$2.5million, sign me up. Actually put me down for two helpings, please.

[busyblonde]

people are cold and stupid and do not realize the consequences of their actions.

[dnc1972]

Good for him and kudos to his lawyers! If I were them I would play the race card too. Noone will learn from this until their department and city get sick and tired to paying out such large sums of money as a result of a person or groups lack of self control. So a guy gets big headed, big deal. There is NEVER an excuse to be treated inhumanly. As long as people continue to be mistreated, I hope to see more lawsuits like this!

[militwrker]

For those of you that take the position that another black man is crying foul, you're idiots. If they wanted to play a joke on the "Big Dog" why not put real spaghetti in a dog dish. But feeding a man dog food was over the top. Does it deserve a 2.7 million dollar pay out? No. The pattern of harrassement is what drove the big pay day.

[peaceforusa]

It is ok for our elderly to eat dogfood because they can't afford to buy real food, but this guy gets 2.7 mil for taking two bites. That money could have fed alot of elderly folk some good food, but that is ok, just keep playing the race card and collecting millions so your family can eat well while some grandparents starve to death. Oh..But I guess it never occured to anyone that elderly have to eat dogfood to survive because the media would never print something like that, but discrimination over a prank, well that is real important! Right there on top!

[bigsk8fan]

It is easy to take the racial hatred of this out of context because no one reported the actual court transcripts. Historically, going back to pre-civil war era, there is a lot of racial hatred to be seen in the action of feeding a black person animal or dog food. This is a typical of dehumanizing a person. This type of thing can be traced almost every year for 250 years!

Additionally, I suspect that most of the $2.7 mio is really punitive damages for the outrageousness of the act itself.

It is hard to see anyone who defends the fire department's actions or the court award itself as anything other than a complete racist.

[hatsgal]

WOW!! After reading the comments of the majority of those posting comments about the dog food incidenet, I am compelled to realize that this country is still full of insensitive people. Obviously, people are willing to excuse what happened. More than that, most of the'accepting' comments seem to be from those other than black folk. While I am sympathetic about the plight of the elderly in America, that does not give anyone the right to knowingly feed dog food to any unsuspecting human being, regardless of that person's supposed arrogance. It's not only petty, but sickening. And for anyone to make comments as if it's no big deal is atrocious! Come on, fairminded Americans; where is the justice in doing what they did? I think that all parties involved should've been prosecuted to the full extent of the law. If it had been the other way around, a lynch mob would've been out for blood. After all, isn't that what happened to Emmett Till, the young boy lynched for alledgedly 'whistling at a white woman' back in the '50s? Oh excuse me, this is the 21st century, year 2006; a kinder, gentler America, huh? I think not. If we can't get it together here on earth, how can we even hope to be together in the afterlife? Oh yeah, I am an African-American (Black) woman making my voice known. I can hardly wait to read the comments that will surely come. May God have mercy on us all.

[vonnie14-2009]

2007, will WHITE americans ever change??? Call that a racist question if you like, I still want to know the answer, from a honest white american.

Vonnie

[hatsgal]

WOW!! After reading the comments of the majority of those posting comments about the dog food incidenet, I am compelled to realize that this country is still full of insensitive people. Obviously, people are willing to excuse what happened. More than that, most of the'accepting' comments seem to be from those other than black folk. While I am sympathetic about the plight of the elderly in America, that does not give anyone the right to knowingly feed dog food to any unsuspecting human being, regardless of that person's supposed arrogance. It's not only petty, but sickening. And for anyone to make comments as if it's no big deal is atrocious! Come on, fairminded Americans; where is the justice in doing what they did? I think that all parties involved should've been prosecuted to the full extent of the law. If it had been the other way around, a lynch mob would've been out for blood. After all, isn't that what happened to Emmett Till, the young boy lynched for alledgedly 'whistling at a white woman' back in the '50s? Oh excuse me, this is the 21st century, year 2006; a kinder, gentler America, huh? I think not. If we can't get it together here on earth, how can we even hope to be together in the afterlife? Oh yeah, I am an African-American (Black) woman making my voice known. I can hardly wait to read the comments that will surely come. May God have mercy on us all.

[hatsgal]

WOW!! After reading the comments of the majority of those posting comments about the dog food incidenet, I am compelled to realize that this country is still full of insensitive people. Obviously, people are willing to excuse what happened. More than that, most of the'accepting' comments seem to be from those other than black folk. While I am sympathetic about the plight of the elderly in America, that does not give anyone the right to knowingly feed dog food to any unsuspecting human being, regardless of that person's supposed arrogance. It's not only petty, but sickening. And for anyone to make comments as if it's no big deal is atrocious! Come on, fairminded Americans; where is the justice in doing what they did? I think that all parties involved should've been prosecuted to the full extent of the law. If it had been the other way around, a lynch mob would've been out for blood. After all, isn't that what happened to Emmett Till, the young boy lynched for alledgedly 'whistling at a white woman' back in the '50s? Oh excuse me, this is the 21st century, year 2006; a kinder, gentler America, huh? I think not. If we can't get it together here on earth, how can we even hope to be together in the afterlife? Oh yeah, I am an African-American (Black) woman making my voice known. I can hardly wait to read the comments that will surely come. May God have mercy on us all.

[hatsgal]

WOW!! After reading the comments of the majority of those posting comments about the dog food incidenet, I am compelled to realize that this country is still full of insensitive people. Obviously, people are willing to excuse what happened. More than that, most of the'accepting' comments seem to be from those other than black folk. While I am sympathetic about the plight of the elderly in America, that does not give anyone the right to knowingly feed dog food to any unsuspecting human being, regardless of that person's supposed arrogance. It's not only petty, but sickening. And for anyone to make comments as if it's no big deal is atrocious! Come on, fairminded Americans; where is the justice in doing what they did? I think that all parties involved should've been prosecuted to the full extent of the law. If it had been the other way around, a lynch mob would've been out for blood. After all, isn't that what happened to Emmett Till, the young boy lynched for alledgedly 'whistling at a white woman' back in the '50s? Oh excuse me, this is the 21st century, year 2006; a kinder, gentler America, huh? I think not. If we can't get it together here on earth, how can we even hope to be together in the afterlife? Oh yeah, I am an African-American (Black) woman making my voice known. I can hardly wait to read the comments that will surely come. May God have mercy on us all.

[dob01225]

AS LONG AS YOU ARE WHITE, YOU WILL NEVER SEE A RACE ISSUE.(TRY CHANGING COLORS) BLACKS DO NOT WANT YOUR PITY (YOU DON'T HAVE PITY TO GIVE.) jUST STOP DEHUMANIZING OTHER RACES WITH YOUR STUPID TRASHY ACTS. WHY SHOULD CASE BE TOSSED? WAS MACDONALD HOT COFFEE OR OTHER STUPID CASES TOSSED? NO,THEY INVOLVED WHITES,(SLAP ON THE HAND ISSUES). EMPLOYMENT IS ANOTHER ISSUE,(DON'T GIVE ME ANYTHING), IF I AM QUALIFIED, GET OUT OF MY WAY.

[hatsgal]

for the multiple postings. I thought that my posting didn't go through (it seemed to be stuck). But perhaps that was divine intervention to drive a point home. No wonder people in other countries despise us. We don't treat our own people right in this country. We have opportunities that other countries wish that they had, but we don't do what we should and could do to make this country what it has the potential to be. Instead we are STILL busy tearing each other down. Suddenly another country doesn't sound so bad to live in.

[sadiesmama]

Does anyone else wonder why the city is responsible for the actions of several of its employees playing a pranking following a volleyball game? Maybe if the government allowed more idiots working for them to man up for their own mistakes they would be less likely to make them.

[t_hegstrom]

Wow! is right. This is all about a poorly execute hazing or practical joke. Don't know if there was a pattern with this group and individual. A pattern would point to something else. By appearance, this was hazing with the intent to knock one individual down a notch because of a previous boisterous act of the individual. Yes, the better approach would've been to feed the individual the regular meal in a clean/new/sanitary dog bowl. That would've made the act apparent and would've been abundantly obvious to all what was happening. This was simply a hazing/practical joke gone bad. Not very bad, just bad. The individual was not harmed, other than his pride. Yes, people should've/could've been disciplined. People that work as closely as firefighters (any type of prolonged team/group activity) do tend to this type of mischievous activity. If this was the only incident, then this guy carried it way too far. With that said, my comments are based solely on the information provided in the article.

[vonnie14-2009]

Have you eaten Dog Food before, how do you know he wasn't hurt. It makes me physically ill to think about eating any animals food. Furthermore, Pride is what makes a person strong, without it, what kind of human would you be?

[monaamon]

It's unfortunate that someone who cannot take a joke would be able to win 2.5 million.
Maybe California should start a sore loser fund so that everyone who's been the butt end of a joke could get a piece of the pie.
I agree with the earlier comment, if Big Dog had been white, a lawsuit wouldn't have even happened.

[ladyc4-2009]

This is a reply to the idiot monaamon, how dare you say that this man can't take a joke. What those guys did to that man was unsanitary and inhumane I don't think $2.7m was enough for the guy. I feel that some people really should have lost their jobs especially the (2) Captains who was also in on the supposed to be joke, they're did to make sure that everyone is doing their jobs professionally and treating their fellow co-workers with the same. But when we have people like you and people like the (2) captains in certain positions then racist will always be alive and people like the firefighter has to hit you where it'll hurt most and that's in your pockets. What I have to say to the firefighter that was disrespected in that manner is "Good for You" for standing up to what's right because now the "Joke" is on them, and what an expensive joke

[vonnie14-2009]

To Monaamon, first of all, you are a idiot. Second,it would not have happened to a WHITE big dog. Third, get over your bigotted self.

[agnim]

monaamon

If you love that 'joke' so much, then so do others who love the joke about L.A. bigoted fire department having to fork over $2.7m in big bucks. Ha Ha. LOL.

[peaceforusa]

To hatsgal

When I made my comment about the elderly eating dog food, it included all races because it is in all races that our elderly are ignored. My comment was toward the amount of money and the news time this issue was given. Where is the money and the news coverage about the plight of our elderly who eat dogfood to survive???
And as far as the discrimination part of it..
We all know had a white guy been pranked like this he wouldn't have gotten a dime, and you know that yourself. Then it would have been just a "prank" and "couldn't he take a joke"!!! Because white people can NEVER pull out the racist card even though we are discriminated against daily!!!

[diverinnl]

How did race play into this?

[bigreddog222]

Bad Joke in very bad TASTE!!
Check out the advertising links next to this blog. Hmmmmmmmm.

My ex-wife served me dog food for a long time in her beef stew (notice I said ex) I don't know about how sanitary, but do have this thing for fire hydrants now

[olebd]

Did you ever notice that refried beans from a can smells just like Alpo?

I'm sure that since this happened in California, the legal team would have eventually been able to prove that "Human consumption of dog food in the state of California, has been proven to cause cancer."

Enjoy all that cash whomever you are. Now you can afford some really good toothpaste and mouthwash.

[t_hegstrom]

It is unfortunate that this is discussed in such an unintellectual manner. Resorting to calling another an idiot accomplishes nothing and leaves question to the rest of your statement. Stating that "What those guys did to that man was unsanitary and inhumane" is absurd. It certainly wasn't unsanitary, it is food, and probably quite healthy. It certainly wasn't inhumane, we have people living on the streets of virtually every city in America that 'dine' on far worse. And I still haven't read any evidence that points to this being racially motivated. According to the article this was one incident "a prank to 'humble' Pierce after a station volleyball game where he had said, 'You guys keep feeding the Big Dog.' ". Please attempt to keep things in context and address the issue.

[gramto7]

Agnim,
I actually agree with you on this! Wonders never cease! I guess things aren't totally opposite between the two of us after all.

[adstamp]

Man, there has to be more to this than just a very bad joke. I just can not see where race was the point. Very disgusting prack that should have been handled, but this seems to me a bit much. I agree Itwas a big blow to this mans ego...but if it can be eaten by an animal, it won't harm you. Gross, but if you think of any of our food it's all gross. Let's see Egg's chicken's butt....Beef..ever been in a slotter house..can't get more sick than that...OH and our veggies....mannour...poop...help's put them on our dinner plates. Man can you tell most of these blogs are from city folks. thous of us that have help put dinner on our plates ..know its all gross.

[adstamp]

Come to think of it...I dont think there was that kind of money up on Fear Factor...and they eat much worse that dog food.

[agnim]

gramto11

That's right, Gramto, in addition to a relatively few of the issues being of black and white, the vast majority of the issues are going to fall into the many shades of gray area, where the possibility to find common ground is always greatest.

[sciselia]

i thnk this was just a scheme to get money..this kinda stuff happens all the time...we did this to a girl in highschool....we fed her a worm in her chili...or something like that and we only got suspended...no 2.3 mil laasuit or whatever it was i think this man a is a greedy man who deserves none of this....RACE MY @$$.....it has NOTHING TO DO WITH IT...still owuld have happened to a white man...

Sci

[sydjulia22]

I also think this is a crock. Race had nothing to do with it! But of course here is someone abusing the true memories of racism. People...this isn't racism. This is a group of guys joking around...and I would venture to say that this so called "victim" has participated in prankster stunts as well. All meant for a good laugh! PLEASE! Who the heck judged this case????

[onesanshoe]

KEEP on rocking in the free world!
S'cuse me, though not American I do happen to be human.
1. Feeding a fellow human dog food = contemptable,find the guilty ones, , ,60 days hard labour around the station (you gringo's don't make very good communists,this attack was also hierarchial , sentence should be equitably dispensed & acceptable to all ranks & fery luckily $ince you Yanquis keep on rocking , you have no gulag ( cleaning toilets , the kitchen , scrape , clean ,spit & polish repaint etc ,they would know the job-site, though might have need some 101 on the diff, between painting with a toilet brush Vs. other types of brushes),two get their heads out the dog food themes,allow them to donate one months salary to charity they think best suited their humour , them being humourous an all,and their 60 day donation to hilarity could be getting about the cleanup job wearing muzzles and being called "big dogs" . These could be dispensed with in the event they were "called out".
2. Who? calculated $2.7mil., he , she , it needed theirts head looking into as of then , + who agreed to 2.7 without @ least a good old W.T.F.!? ,followed by a retrial concerning the sanity of the 2.7 figure.
As for the one served dog food (woof look ma no hiccups woof). Keep on rocking , You can't keep a good dog down,woof woof & have a nice day !

[jena1971]

When I was an infant, I was placed for adoption. Because I am half-black, I was paced with a biracial couple, who beat me, resulting in my hospitalization at 12 weeks old. Once I healed, the hospital and the agency sent me back to the same home. Once again, I was abused. This time, after another hospitalization, I was removed from the home.

My adoptive parents later sued the agency, the hospital, and the state (and of coure, the couple), due to my injuries. To this day, I am blind in one eye, have symptoms of traumatic brain injury, and have other issues that have affected me over the years as the result of the abuse.

Clearly, my placement in this home was racially motivated, as was the decision not to pull a harder-to-place child from an abusive home, or report it as abuse. The settlement? $300,000, out of court. Naturally, the lawyers got 1/3 of that. The remainder didn't begin to cover all the medical bills I've racked up over the years.

Now I hear that this black firefighter got $2.7 million for his racially-motivated ordeal of...eating dog food? Pardon my lack of sympathy for his anguish.

Maybe if the abusive couple my parents sued had fed me dog food, I would have had more of a case.

[thgdriver]

Hummmmmmmmm,

First off, This joke was tastless, and so was the lawsuit!

Whats to prevent someone from getting some pals to play the same prank, sue the "whatever' department or agency for mega bucks, then share the mega bucks?

Of course the joke must be played on a good (insert any human race but white here) friend.

[thgdriver]

Did everyone notice the advertising links on this story?

Natural Choice Dog & Puppy Food.

Grandy Animal Hospital.

Healthy Life's Abundance Dog Food