By Dennis Wagner | The Republic | azcentral.com
A federal judge has ruled that Quartzsite officials violated the free-speech rights of 10 Police Department employees who were fired after they publicly accused former Chief Jeffrey Gilbert of misconduct.
U.S. District Judge Mark Aspey said in a 60-page ruling issued last week that Gilbert, former Town Manager Alex Taft and former Assistant Manager Albert Johnson are personally liable for damages, along with the municipality.
“Truth for the most part has finally come out,” said William Ponce, one of the plaintiffs and a former sergeant on the police force. “We finally get some kind of vindication.”
Gilbert, Taft and Johnson no longer work for Quartzsite. Neither they nor their lawyers could be reached for comment Wednesday.