An Ohio sheriff's deputy says in a federal lawsuit his free speech rights were violated when he was suspended without pay over a Facebook post last year.
Trumbull County deputy Michael Geer is seeking back pay from his three-day suspension in the lawsuit filed Friday.
Geer is also asking for unspecified financial damages to cover mental anguish, humiliation, harm to his reputation and a reduction in earning power.
The Tribune Chronicle of Warren reports the county sheriff and a county commissioner didn't return calls seeking comment.
The newspaper says Geer's post was written in the voice of Freddie Gray, who died in April 2015 from injuries sustained while in Baltimore police custody.
The paper says the post was critical of protestors and people blaming police officers for their problems.
