CLEVELAND — The City of Cleveland is defending its decision to hire a former Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police detective who was at the center of a federal civil rights lawsuit whom News 5 has learned was Mayor Justin Bibb's college roommate.
News 5 Investigators revealed Phillip McHugh was at the center of a federal civil rights lawsuit as a police officer Wednesday.
City records show Phillip J. McHugh was hired as a Senior Public Safety Adviser in January for a salary of $124,000 a year.
What the lawsuit alleges
In May 2016, Vashti and Eugene Sherrod, an elderly black couple, filed a federal lawsuit alleging McHugh violated their civil rights when he pursued false allegations against Vashti Sherrod.
The Sherrods' attorney, Kenneth Bynum, said the lawsuit was settled for a "substantial amount."
The lawsuit alleges the driver of an Isuzu Trooper told McHugh that Vashti Sherrod, who was 75 at the time, threatened her and pulled out a "black semi-automatic pistol" after the driver hit Sherrod's parked car on May 14, 2015.
The lawsuit alleges surveillance video failed to corroborate the driver's story. It said Sherrod also told McHugh she did not own a gun. McHugh continued to pursue the case.
The lawsuit says the Sherrods were pulled over at gunpoint by Capitol Police after McHugh reported their vehicle was stolen. It said McHugh searched their vehicle but did not find a gun.
The lawsuit says McHugh then obtained a search warrant for their home, where he "upended" their belongings. Again, no gun was found.
Finally, the lawsuit said McHugh used false information to obtain a warrant for Sherrod's arrest. It says she turned herself in and was released on her own recognizance.
The lawsuit said prosecutors dropped the charges against Sherrod in January 2016.
Councilman concerned
Ward 5 Councilman Richard Starr expressed concern about the city's decision to hire McHugh during an exclusive interview with News 5 Wednesday.
"I believe it brings me to think of some almost Jim Crow, Night Walker, Night Crawler, type of things," he said about the claims. "It shows me his integrity and his findings, meaning he'll do whatever it takes to make himself seem right."
Starr continued, "If that's the case, we're doomed. We're going backwards. We're going backwards."
The City of Cleveland's chief communications officer, Sarah Johnson, sent News 5 the following statement:
"The case against Mr. McHugh was dismissed and there was no finding of wrongdoing made by the court or by his previous employer. When Mr. McHugh was selected for a position with the city, he underwent the same onboarding process, including a background check, required of all new city employees. The administration is aware that Mr. McHugh was a party in a lawsuit stemming from a criminal investigation he conducted in conjunction with the United States Attorney’s Office nearly ten years ago in Washington, DC. We are aware that all claims made against Mr. McHugh were dismissed with prejudice prior to the disposition of the matter."
Mayor Bibb connection
So why did Mayor Justin Bibb bring a former D.C. cop, whose actions cost taxpayers, to Cleveland?
Johnson confirmed the two were roommates in an email Thursday. Johnson wrote, "For two semesters they shared a campus dorm with two other students."
As for whether they're friends, Johnson wrote, "I know that they have kept in touch since college and have a mutual respect for each other in their public service careers."
Johnson said they attended American University in Washington D.C. at the same time.
NAACP responds
A day after our report aired, the Cleveland NAACP released a petition calling for McHugh to be fired.
As the president of the Cleveland NAACP, I am deeply disturbed by the hiring of Phillip McHugh, whose previous actions have led to a lawsuit and settlement in the District of Columbia. His inability to police black communities effectively is not only concerning but also unacceptable. We are using taxpayer dollars to employ someone who has cost a former district money due to their actions which violated an elderly Black couple's civil rights.
McHugh's past behavior has resulted in significant financial loss for his previous district. This is not just about money; it is about justice, fairness, and respect for all citizens regardless of their race or age. We cannot allow our public servants to continue serving if they have shown such blatant disregard for these principles.
We must hold our law enforcement officers accountable for their actions and demand that they uphold the values we cherish as a community. The hiring of Phillip McHugh sends a dangerous message that we tolerate racial bias within our police force.
We call on Mayor Justin Bibb to take immediate action by terminating Phillip McHugh from this position. Let us ensure that our tax dollars are used wisely and ethically - supporting individuals who respect all members of our community equally.
You can watch our original report that aired on Wednesday here:
