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Monroe council adopts resolution urging mayor to comply with Supreme Court ruling in Brown case, cites $256,840.96 in legal costs
Summary
The Monroe City Council on Sept. 9 unanimously adopted Resolution No. 8993 asking the mayor to abide by the Louisiana Supreme Court ruling in the Reginald Brown case, amid debate over $256,840.96 in legal costs and whether the city should continue appeals; two members voted no.
The Monroe City Council on Sept. 9 adopted Resolution No. 8993 requesting the mayor abide by the Louisiana Supreme Court's ruling in Monroe Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service Board v. Reginald Brown and the City of Monroe.
The resolution passed after council debate; two members, Mr. Harvey and Mrs. Ezernack, recorded their votes as nay. Councilmember Muhammad moved the resolution and supporters said the city has already incurred substantial legal costs. Chairman Rodney McFarland criticized the administration's decision to continue appeals and said the city has spent $256,840.96 fighting the case and that Mr. Brown paid $15,000 for separate legal representation. "It is humiliating that after a Louisiana Supreme Court ruling, a former Chief of Police with a master's degree was reassigned as a jailer without a gun at OCC," McFarland said.
Why it matters: The resolution asks the executive branch to conform to the Supreme Court's decision and signals the council's dissatisfaction with how the case was handled. Council members framed the item as both a legal-compliance request and a rebuke of continued litigation that council members said has been costly.
Debate and clarifications: Councilmember Muhammad said he wrote the letter to reinstate Mr. Brown and argued the city should stop what he described as protracted appeals. Ms. Woods called the Supreme Court outcome a victory for Mr. Brown and criticized the reassignment he received. Mr. Harvey expressed concern that the resolution may attempt to dictate legal strategy and said he respected the ruling but worried about the council overreaching into litigation decisions.
In public comment, Jessica Wilson, an attorney for Reginald Brown, told the council she and Mr. Brown "are still awaiting a response" in related litigation and said they will continue to incur legal expenses unless the case is voluntarily dismissed. City Attorney Brandon Creekbaum responded to the record by saying the city filed nothing after the Supreme Court decision and clarified he had requested a copy of Ms. Wilson's prior filing because the office did not have it; he said the most recent suit seeks adjudication on whether back pay is required.
Next steps: The resolution requests mayoral compliance but does not itself resolve active litigation; legal filings and any related requests for back pay remain pending.
