Court Rules Fire Chief Fired Without Hearing | Cleveland News

The Sixth Circuit just delivered a major victory for former Cincinnati Fire Chief Michael Washington, ruling that City Manager Sheryl Long lost qualified immunity by firing him without a hearing — despite being told legally she needed one. The court called her actions “lawless conduct,” clearing the way for Washington’s civil rights and defamation case to proceed to trial, where he seeks back pay, benefits, and punitive damages. His lawyer praised Washington as a dedicated leader whose termination was a stain on the city. The court also found Long’s public accusations about mismanagement likely false, suggesting malice or bad faith. With Washington having served over three decades and never getting a fair chance to defend himself, this ruling could reshape how Cincinnati handles public safety leadership — especially as citizens push to amend the charter to remove the city manager’s firing power and give it to City Council instead. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/4caf8ac6d7747261