HOPEWELL, Va. (WRIC) — The city of Hopewell and three of its councilors have filed a motion to dismiss the $6.85 million lawsuit that alleges they fired former city manager Dr. Concetta Manker for her race.
According to the filing, Manker, who is Black, made “no allegations to plausibly suggest” her race was the only cause for her firing. It notes the same four councilors who voted to terminate Manker voted to replace her with Michael Rogers, who is also Black.
“That certainly strikes me as a legitimate point to make if you are defending this case,” Legal analyst and criminal defense attorney Russ Stone said…