In September of 2017, Lee Levine, Esq. of Levine Staller, and John Donnelly, Esq. settled a whistleblower action on behalf of former Atlantic City Police Chief John Mooney for $2.3 million dollars.
In 2013, Chief Mooney was awarded more than $3.7 million dollars, after Levine Staller attorneys convinced a jury that his demotion, by then-Mayor Lorenzo Langford, was in retaliation for protected whistblowing activities. As reported here by the Press of Atlantic City, Chief Mooney’s lawsuit alleged that the city used a complicated mass layoff scheme in 2010 as a way to get rid of the chief of police position. Chief Mooney alleged that the City instituted the layoff in retaliation after he blew the whistle on certain conduct by the City and Mayor Langford.
The settlement comes after appeals by the City of Atlantic City, and in lieu of a re-trial.