The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

February 6, 2008

State police paid $67,500 to settle racial discrimination case

By Joe Pinchot

MERCER COUNTY — State police paid $67,500 to settle a racial discrimination suit filed by the former Mercer County station commander.

Retired Lt. Billy R. Williams, an African-American who lives in Erie, claimed he was subject to a hostile working environment and transferred against his wishes because of his race.

State police denied the charges and said all personnel decisions were based on Williams’ job performance.

Williams’ case went to trial and a five-woman, two-man jury was seated, but the case was settled Dec. 10 before opening arguments.

The parties have refused to discuss the settlement, but state police provided a copy of the settlement contract in response to a Right-to-Know Law request filed by The Herald.

In the settlement contract, state police and the two principal officers, retired Lt. Col. Sidney A. Simon and Maj. Terry L. Seilhamer, affirm that they do not admit any liability. All parties said they wanted to settle to avoid “further protracted litigation.”

Williams filed the suit April 21, 2003.

The money also covers fees owed to Williams’ attorney, Neal A. Sanders of Butler. The contract does not say how much of the $67,500 Sanders gets.

The settlement does not affect Williams’ pension.

The parties agreed to dismiss the case Jan. 28, two weeks after all the signatures on the settlement contract had been obtained.

Williams entered state police as a cadet in 1969 and was Mercer station commander from March or April of 1993 until Sept. 11, 2000, when he was transferred to the Troop D headquarters in Butler. He retired Christmas Day, 2006, when he reached the mandatory retirement age of 60. He retired as staff lieutenant of the Troop E headquarters in Erie.

Williams’ claimed that subordinates at the Mercer station slashed his tires, referred to him as “Slappy,” drew caricatures of him in a dictionary next to the words “afro” and “Negro,” covered his office door in black ink and dismantled his office chair.

He claimed Seilhamer, who is white, failed to stop the actions of the Mercer employees, and encouraged their behavior.

Simon, who is biracial, refused to authorize overtime when the office was overstaffed, and prohibited Williams from visiting the station when he was not working, Williams said.

State police said Williams “had set, or at least attempted to set, an unlawful quota,” a requirement that troopers write a set number of citations, while at the Mercer station. Simon transferred Williams from the Mercer station because of morale and management problems, state police said.

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