Davie, FL – A lawsuit filed by two former Davie police officers claiming religious discrimination and retaliation has been dismissed.
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The lawsuit, filed in 2005, alleged Matthew Malin was subjected to anti-Semitic comments from his supervisors. Malin, who is Jewish, said he was called a “dirty Jew pig” and told “you Jews are not wanted here in Davie.”
The suit also said Brandon Rivera, who is Catholic, was fired for his “association with a person of the Jewish religion.”
Broward Circuit Judge Leroy Moe dismissed the case last month. It was set for trial in August, but Moe made a summary judgment based on written briefs.
“He basically felt that even if everything was true, there was still not enough evidence to prove discrimination on the part of Davie,” said attorney Harry Boreth, whose partner handled the case for the town.
Frank Shooster, the men’s attorney, said he plans to appeal.
“We’re convinced that our clients were harassed — one because he was Jewish, the other because he refused to go along with the prejudice,” Shooster said.
The lawsuit accused the town of failing to investigate Malin’s complaints and allowing a hostile work environment.
Malin, 30, and Rivera, 32, were suing for lost wages, damages for emotional distress and legal fees. They also want their jobs back.
Police Chief Patrick Lynn could not be reached for comment Monday and town spokesman Braulio Rosa declined to comment.
Rivera and Malin were on leave when they were fired in 2004. The town said both men were terminated for violating departmental procedures.
Malin suffered religious discrimination during the three years he worked as a police officer in Davie, the suit said. His direct supervisors told him to find another job, falsely accused him of committing crimes, and ordered him to take a vulnerable position during a violent incident, according to the suit.
Rivera, hired in 2000, said he didn’t run into any trouble in the department until he became Malin’s friend. The suit alleges he overheard the anti-Semitic comments and also heard a sergeant refer to the men as “Satan’s stepchildren.”