11-21-2006, 06:48 PM
Posted on Tue, Nov. 21, 2006
Trooper sues ex-boss, FHP
NATALIE NEYSA ALUND
Herald Staff Writer
BRADENTON - A Florida Highway Patrol trooper is suing his former supervisor, a major, the FHP director and the agency for allegations such as spreading false rumors he is homosexual and denying him a day of pay.
Former Lakeland Sgt. Robert L. Knight - now assigned to Troop F Headquarters in Bradenton - filed the lawsuit this month in Polk County Circuit Court against his former supervisor Capt. Linda S. Perkins; her supervisor, Maj. Thomas M. Knight; the head of the agency, Col. Christopher A. Knight; and the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The FHP is a division of the agency.
According to the civil complaint, Robert Knight, a 12-year FHP veteran, is not related to Thomas and Christopher Knight, who are brothers.
The lawsuit seeks damages of more than $15,000 for defamation, unpaid wages, negligent supervision, malicious prosecution, violation of the Whistleblower Act and the federal Family and Medical Leave Act.
In the 16-page complaint, filed Nov. 8, Robert Knight claims Perkins has "abused her power" since August 2003, when she transferred from the Orlando district to the FHP office in Lakeland. Robert Knight, who is married, also claims Perkins, Thomas Knight and Christopher Knight spread a false rumor that he is homosexual.
On Monday, FHP spokesman Maj. Ernie Duarte said Perkins, Thomas Knight and Christopher Knight were not permitted to comment about the lawsuit.
Duarte also said he could not comment about the allegations because the case is being litigated.
Robert Knight's attorney, A. Brent Geohagan said Perkins' "reign of terror" stemmed from her dislike that his client was a local FHP union representative for Lakeland FHP.
In the civil complaint, Knight claimed Perkins, a 25-year veteran, told him he was her "enemy" because of his position.
"It's our confident belief Sgt. Knight was particularly targeted by Capt. Perkins," Geohagan said. "He was a threat to her ability to have unchecked power. As local union representative, my client's job was to monitor people with power.
"As soon as she identified my client as the representative she made it very clear she was not going to be inhibited and going to do as she pleased, no matter what, even with regard to and aside from the appropriate policies and procedures in law," Geohagan said. "She's taken every single opportunity to harass and terrorize my client."
In the complaint, Robert Knight claims he was "touched and battered" by another trooper at the direction of Perkins as she watched the fight.
The civil complaint also says Perkins denied Knight pay for a day's work, yelled and cursed at him, scheduled an impromptu meeting with Knight to discuss questions about the police union, ordered Knight to perform a crash investigation outside of FHP's jurisdiction and refused to let him work an off-duty job in Miami.
Perkins also reportedly "harassed" Knight about taking leave to take care of his sick father, a violation of the federal Family and Medical Leave Act.
Perkins, "under the guise of an investigation," sought criminal charges against Knight, claiming he stalked a male trooper, but the State Attorney's Office refused to file charges, the complaint says.
Sgt. Knight was transferred to work in Hardee and DeSoto counties after prosecutors did not file criminal charges against him, Geohagan said.
Geohagan said the grievance and complaints were filed with Thomas Knight and Christopher Knight about Perkins, but they took no action.
"They ignored them, except for one in regard to indisputable eight hours of work performed by my client," Geohagan said. "Capt. Perkins wasn't paying my client for eight hours, so he filed a grievance."
Geohagan said Thomas Knight agreed Robert Knight needed to be paid, but Perkins still allegedly refused to authorize payment.
Duarte said Perkins recently transferred to the Tampa district.
"But that had nothing to do with Knight's complaints," Duarte said Monday.
Ex-FHP union rep. seeks $15K for owed wages, defamation
Trooper sues ex-boss, FHP
NATALIE NEYSA ALUND
Herald Staff Writer
BRADENTON - A Florida Highway Patrol trooper is suing his former supervisor, a major, the FHP director and the agency for allegations such as spreading false rumors he is homosexual and denying him a day of pay.
Former Lakeland Sgt. Robert L. Knight - now assigned to Troop F Headquarters in Bradenton - filed the lawsuit this month in Polk County Circuit Court against his former supervisor Capt. Linda S. Perkins; her supervisor, Maj. Thomas M. Knight; the head of the agency, Col. Christopher A. Knight; and the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The FHP is a division of the agency.
According to the civil complaint, Robert Knight, a 12-year FHP veteran, is not related to Thomas and Christopher Knight, who are brothers.
The lawsuit seeks damages of more than $15,000 for defamation, unpaid wages, negligent supervision, malicious prosecution, violation of the Whistleblower Act and the federal Family and Medical Leave Act.
In the 16-page complaint, filed Nov. 8, Robert Knight claims Perkins has "abused her power" since August 2003, when she transferred from the Orlando district to the FHP office in Lakeland. Robert Knight, who is married, also claims Perkins, Thomas Knight and Christopher Knight spread a false rumor that he is homosexual.
On Monday, FHP spokesman Maj. Ernie Duarte said Perkins, Thomas Knight and Christopher Knight were not permitted to comment about the lawsuit.
Duarte also said he could not comment about the allegations because the case is being litigated.
Robert Knight's attorney, A. Brent Geohagan said Perkins' "reign of terror" stemmed from her dislike that his client was a local FHP union representative for Lakeland FHP.
In the civil complaint, Knight claimed Perkins, a 25-year veteran, told him he was her "enemy" because of his position.
"It's our confident belief Sgt. Knight was particularly targeted by Capt. Perkins," Geohagan said. "He was a threat to her ability to have unchecked power. As local union representative, my client's job was to monitor people with power.
"As soon as she identified my client as the representative she made it very clear she was not going to be inhibited and going to do as she pleased, no matter what, even with regard to and aside from the appropriate policies and procedures in law," Geohagan said. "She's taken every single opportunity to harass and terrorize my client."
In the complaint, Robert Knight claims he was "touched and battered" by another trooper at the direction of Perkins as she watched the fight.
The civil complaint also says Perkins denied Knight pay for a day's work, yelled and cursed at him, scheduled an impromptu meeting with Knight to discuss questions about the police union, ordered Knight to perform a crash investigation outside of FHP's jurisdiction and refused to let him work an off-duty job in Miami.
Perkins also reportedly "harassed" Knight about taking leave to take care of his sick father, a violation of the federal Family and Medical Leave Act.
Perkins, "under the guise of an investigation," sought criminal charges against Knight, claiming he stalked a male trooper, but the State Attorney's Office refused to file charges, the complaint says.
Sgt. Knight was transferred to work in Hardee and DeSoto counties after prosecutors did not file criminal charges against him, Geohagan said.
Geohagan said the grievance and complaints were filed with Thomas Knight and Christopher Knight about Perkins, but they took no action.
"They ignored them, except for one in regard to indisputable eight hours of work performed by my client," Geohagan said. "Capt. Perkins wasn't paying my client for eight hours, so he filed a grievance."
Geohagan said Thomas Knight agreed Robert Knight needed to be paid, but Perkins still allegedly refused to authorize payment.
Duarte said Perkins recently transferred to the Tampa district.
"But that had nothing to do with Knight's complaints," Duarte said Monday.
Ex-FHP union rep. seeks $15K for owed wages, defamation