A Cumberland County corrections officer is suing the sheriff and county manager over firing

A Cumberland County correctional officer is suing the sheriff for firing him three years ago after he got into a fight with an inmate.

Vinal Thompson, a corrections officer at the Cumberland County Jail, is headed to trial in 2021. Sean Patrick Ouellette/Staff Writer

Vinal Thompson, 44, who returned to work at the jail in April after being acquitted of criminal charges, filed a civil lawsuit Friday in U.S. District Court against Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce and County Manager James Haley. claiming they violated his due process. officer’s rights. Thompson claims he was wrongfully fired after an altercation with an inmate and that the county had a duty to pursue criminal charges against the inmate.

Instead, Thompson was charged with assault and reckless conduct found not guilty by the district judge last year

“Defendant Joyce treated Correctional Officer Thompson differently than he treated other correctional officers and patrol officers involved in similar incidents during the relevant time period,” the complaint states. “Defendant’s actions demonstrated a reckless and/or callous disregard or indifference to Officer Thompson’s constitutional due process and equal protection rights.”

He said Gailey “failed to take any reasonable steps to protect the plaintiff’s rights as an employee of Cumberland County” when Joyce fired him.

Haley said in an email Monday that the district would not discuss the allegations. Joyce did not respond to an email asking about the lawsuit.

On July 7, 2020, Thompson attempted to obtain a urine sample from incarcerated John Katula. When Katula failed to provide a sample after 45 minutes, according to various court records, Thompson threatened to take Katula to a private residence and began approaching Katula with handcuffs drawn.

A fight ensued, all of which was caught on surveillance video from three different angles in the jail, Thompson’s latest complaint says. According to Thompson, the video shows Catula “immediately attacking” him and ignoring another officer’s orders to stop resisting.

Thompson said he began hitting Catula “to get (Catula) to stop attacking him and submit” to the handcuffs. In his complaint, Thompson said he had to wrestle Catula to the ground with another officer.

Shortly after the incident, Joyce placed Thompson on administrative leave and released a statement to local media saying the video showed Thompson “hitting” Katula. Thompson said it was a “deliberate misrepresentation” of what happened.

Then Joyce asked Portland police to investigate. Thompson’s lawsuit says police did not press charges, but the case was turned over to the Androscoggin County District Attorney’s Office anyway. (Cumberland County could not hear the case due to a conflict of interest).

But Judge Jed French decided after a three-day trial in 2023, Catullus attacked first and therefore the officer had the right to defend himself.

French disagreed with prosecutors that Thompson relied on deadly force despite Katula’s injuries. According to court records, both men were injured; Thompson broke Katula’s nose and later needed physical therapy for a broken arm.

The same incident prompted the National Union of Correctional Officers to file a request in June remove Joyce from office.

Katula also sued Thompson in his official capacity along with Joyce and the county, alleging that his civil rights were violated. In January 2021, Katula dropped the case and settled with the county for $41,000.

In the lawsuit, Thompson claims he was not given meaningful representation in the case or an opportunity to respond to Katula’s allegations. He also claims that Joyce failed to press charges against Katula for assaulting an officer, even though he said Katula was “administratively” charged at the jail and held in solitary confinement for about a month.

Haley confirmed Monday that Thompson returned in April to work at the prison. Prison officials discussed them earlier it is difficult to recruit sufficient staff in correctional institutions.