Attorney calls for 'name clearing' for two suspended West Memphis officers, alleges media smear and retaliation

An attorney for two suspended city employees urged the West Memphis City Council to clear their names, saying an anonymous tip and public statements led local media to report that both men were suspended over sexual-harassment allegations.

Lucian Gillum, speaking for Stacy Allen and Mo Walker, told the council the published accounts were inaccurate or incomplete and said the suspensions had significant reputational and employment consequences for his clients. "You smear them," Gillum said of how the allegations were publicized. He added: "Justice is coming," and said depositions connected with related litigation had already occurred.

Gillum said the city's public statements and television interviews—which in his view repeated an inaccurate characterization linking the men to sexual-harassment investigations—prevented the suspended employees from publicly defending themselves under existing personnel policies. He said Mo Walker is not being investigated for sexual harassment (as reported in some media items) and described the suspensions as retaliation tied to earlier internal complaints.

Council members did not enter investigative details into the public record during the hearing; Gillum acknowledged he could not discuss some aspects of the underlying investigation at the meeting because of legal restrictions. No council action to reverse or change the suspensions was recorded at the meeting; Gillum said litigation and depositions are ongoing and asked the council to address the reputational harms experienced by his clients.

What the council recorded: the name-clearing request was added to the agenda and the attorney was given time to speak. No detailed investigatory findings or personnel decisions were read into the public minutes during the meeting.