A former trooper has lost his race discrimination case against the State Police.
A federal judge ruled Tuesday that James W. Talford failed to prove that the State Police’s use of his mugshot – he was arrested in 2009 for aggravated harassment against two Canadian women – adversely affected his employment as a trooper. Talford got a conditional discharge because of his guilty plea to a noncriminal violation and was ordered to stay away from the women.
Talford, an African-American undercover narcotics investigator, claimed the mugshot, which was widely used on TV broadcasts, put his life at risk.
He also argued that his photo was posted on the State Police website because of his race, not because of his arrest.
A federal judge ruled Tuesday that James W. Talford failed to prove that the State Police’s use of his mugshot – he was arrested in 2009 for aggravated harassment against two Canadian women – adversely affected his employment as a trooper. Talford got a conditional discharge because of his guilty plea to a noncriminal violation and was ordered to stay away from the women.
Talford, an African-American undercover narcotics investigator, claimed the mugshot, which was widely used on TV broadcasts, put his life at risk.
He also argued that his photo was posted on the State Police website because of his race, not because of his arrest.