A commander with the North Miami Police Department placed on leave after the 2016 shooting of a unarmed caregiver in the middle of a street is filing suit, demanding millions of dollars after he claims the city made him the scapegoat.
Emile Hollant, who met with the media Friday along with his attorney, is asking for $10 million after claiming the city ruined his reputation and career.
Hollant was the commander at the scene of the July 2016 shooting of Charles Kinsey, a behavioral therapist who was shot in the leg by police as he lay on the ground with his hands up next to his autistic patient. Police said they thought the patient had a gun, which was in fact a toy truck.
According to a memo, the firing of Hollant followed an Internal Affairs investigation that revealed he lied to detectives and about witnessing the shooting. Hollant was suspended for several weeks before being placed on paid leave.
"While Commader Hollant now alleges discrimination and lack of due process on the part of the City, he has availed himself of two outside administrative agencies, the Miami-Dade County Human Rights Commission and the Federal EEOC, whom have both determined there is no evidence of said discrimination," City Manager Larry Spring Jr. said in a statement.
The suit claims the city is discriminating against Hollant, who was cleared of criminal wrongdoing, because he is of Haitian descent. His attorney, Michael Pizzi Jr., told reporters his client stays home during work hours but can leave at night and on weekends.
“A second tragedy occurred. Through gross incompetence, racism, politics and vindictiveness... Emile Hollant was crucified and had his career destroyed and has been placed on virtual house arrest for almost two years for telling the truth," Pizzi said.
The officer who shot Kisney has been charged with attempted manslaughter and culpable negligence.
