A jury Tuesday rejected a Derby man’s claim that city Democratic leaders conspired against him to derail his attempt to run for mayor in 2009.
The man, Mel Thompson, filed a federal lawsuit saying the Democrats discriminated against him because he was black.
But the jury ruled in favor of the Democrats on each of the lawsuit’s three counts.
Four Democrats — Mayor Anita Dugatto, Sheila Parizo, Sam Rizzitelli and Christine Robinson — wiped tears from their eyes as U.S. District Court Judge Michael Shea read the jury’s verdict.
The jury’s decision ends an almost six-year legal battle between Thompson against the Derby Democrats.
In his lawsuit, Thompson accused Robinson of calling him the n‑word during an argument on Elizabeth Street in April 2009, an accusation Robinson denied on the witness stand during the five-day trial. Several witness testified they never heard Robinson use a slur.
Outside court, Robinson was hoping to put the trial behind her.
“There are no words,” Robinson said. “It was always over my head. You’re just always thinking about it. Now it’s done.”
Elio C. Morgan, the lawyer for the Democrats, said Thompson’s lawsuit should not have gone to trial because the allegations were false.
“My clients were overcome with emotion because they feel vindicated,” Morgan said. “A feeling of vindication is emotional and overwhelming.”
Thompson told the Valley Indy he intends to appeal the jury’s decision. He said the Democrats lied under oath and that Morgan has a vendetta against him.
“They got up there are committed wholesale perjury. I’m going to appeal. They absolutely lied every inch of the way,” Thompson said.
During closing arguments Tuesday, Gregory Arcaro, Thompson’s lawyer, said the Democrats in 2009 were upset because Thompson had been gathering supporters within the party to make a mayoral run. Arcaro said that upset Democratic leaders, who thought Thompson wasn’t a viable candidate because he’s black.
But Morgan said Thompson was a Derby “cyberbully” who used an anonymous blog to trash his political rivals. The posts were so “toxic” that in early 2009, Dugatto — under pressure from Thompson — resigned her position of chairperson of the Derby Democratic Town Committee and agreed to pay Thompson $500 to stop attacking her and her dental business.
“He is the master of destruction,” Morgan said, referring to Thompson’s discrimination claim as “disgusting.”
Any inspirations for Derby City Hall evaporated once the public became aware Thompson was the anonymous blogger, Morgan said.
“He lied and he lied,” Morgan said during his closing argument. “None of his witnesses corroborated him. Race was not in issue in the 2009 election,” Morgan said.
The Democrats ended up nominating Dan Foley, Jr. in 2009. He lost to Republican incumbent Anthony Staffieri.
Dugatto unseated Staffieri in 2013.
Dugatto reacted to the jury’s verdict in an email Tuesday.
“I have restored faith in the justice system. I feel vindicated and I am eager to continue the work we are doing to move our community forward,” she wrote.
Thompson was asking for up to $80 million in the lawsuit.