Demarco Adderley v. Spokane County et al

Demarco Adderley worked as a prison guard for Spokane County. He is black. Travis Titchenal worked as a prison guard for Spokane County. He is white. Both individuals left the employment of the Spokane County Detention Services to work elsewhere. Both returned to Spokane County Detention Services, did so within one week of each other, and made their return to work request through the same supervisor. That supervisor did not require the white employee to officially re-apply/re-test and granted the white employee his seniority. The same supervisor required Mr. Adderley to reapply and re-test for work and did not give Mr. Adderley his seniority.

Mr. Adderley then complained to his union about this unequal treatment but the union took no action.

Since the union took no action to help Mr. Adderley and since the County would not give Mr. Adderley the seniority it gave his white co-worker Mr. Adderley brought suit.  During the lawsuit it was discovered that a memorandum existed between the union and County regarding the granting of the white employee’s return to work request but that the same memo had been lost. Mr. Adderley has made a request that the Court find that the “loss” of the memo be held against the defendants at the trial.

The case resolved shortly before trial.