A Black former deputy sheriff who was continually denied promotions over 22 years is suing Sonoma County, alleging that the mostly white leadership in its sheriff’s office kept him from advancing due to racism, and that the California county’s new Black sheriff has a longstanding grudge against him.
Marcus Holton, 53, says he was turned down for promotions and special assignments 13 times despite having deep experience as a field training officer, firearms instructor, and SWAT team member, and consistently outstanding performance reviews.
His lawsuit, filed on Dec. 12 in Sonoma County Superior Court (and obtained by Atlanta Black Star) asserts that Holton was forced to retire in April 2025 due to intolerable and hostile working conditions and “blatant, sickening racism” that left him demoralized.
The lawsuit claims that a “good old boys club” culture pervades the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, where some officers espouse white supremacist ideology, engage in racial profiling and often use excessive force against Black and other minority residents. And it argues that systemic racism and racial bias among its predominantly white leadership explain why Holton hasn’t advanced…