A former McHenry County Sheriff's deputy is suing Sheriff Keith Nygren and several other deputies, claiming he was retaliated against and wrongfully terminated after he gave a deposition in another lawsuit filed against Nygren that alleged racial profiling in the department.
Scott Milliman, who was fired on Aug. 17, filed the lawsuit last week in federal court, alleging Nygren and his underlings violated Milliman's right to free speech and conspired to fire him.
Milliman, a 14-year department veteran who is battling brain cancer, wants more than $50,000 in punitive and other damages, according to the suit.
"He's been wrongfully fired," said Milliman's attorney Thomas Crooks. "(The lawsuit) has nothing to do with trying to get money for a specific purpose."
Nygren did not return phone messages left Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning.
Undersheriff Andrew Zinke said he and others named in the suit have not been served with it yet and could not comment on the matter.
In the suit, Milliman says he gave a deposition in November 2010 in a lawsuit filed by former deputy Zane Seipler, who has accused Nygren of racial profiling and other offenses.
After Milliman's testimony, which dealt with allegations that Nygren's office had engaged in use of excessive force, profiling, ticket fixing and other matters, Milliman was systematically stripped of his gun, squad car and ultimately fired after he filed a complaint with the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission, the suit states.
Nygren fired Seipler for improperly ticketing motorists, and the case has bounced back and forth in court. It is next due in court on Dec. 22 in Woodstock for a motion to dismiss Seipler's lawsuit.
No date has been set for an initial hearing on Milliman's suit.
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