Explosive text messages including racial slurs have come to light in a high profile case that will be heading back to the courtroom.
The case involves two former police officers, one from St. Clair Shores and one from Detroit.
The incident in question happened back in July of 2013. St. Clair Shores Police Sergeant, Michael Notoriano’s daughter’s cell phone was stolen. He enlisted the help of his friend, Detroit Police Sergeant, David Pomeroy, to get it back.
Before they traced the cell phone, there were explosive text messages, allegedly sent by Notoriano, using racial slurs.
The pair traced the phone to a gas station on the east side of Detroit, where they confronted the plaintiffs in this civil case, Sergio Love and Robert Cureton.
"They approached these two young men took their money they had on them, took their phones, pistol whipped Cureton,” said Herbert Sanders, he’s the attorney representing Cureton and Love.
Both Notoriano and Pomeroy were tried criminally for the incident, accused of being vigilantes.
Notoriano was acquitted of all charges besides except neglect of duty and served 6 months behind bars. He was fired from the St. Clair Shores Police Department.
Pomeroy took a plea deal, he pleaded guilty, and served 9 months probation and resigned from the Detroit Police Department.
Now, both men and the cities they worked for are facing a civil lawsuit and damages of up to $10 million.
The charges in the lawsuit include ethnic intimidation, something Sanders said is a major issue after the text messages, allegedly sent by Notoriano using racial slurs.
"It definitely raises a concern that people who have these types of feelings and say these types of things are encountering and policing African Americans,” said Sanders.
7 Action News reached out to all the attorneys. Only Pomeroy’s attorney responded saying his client is stunned by this civil case and he was acting in the capacity of a father that night and not a police officer.
