RICHMOND, Calif. (CBS) — A fired Richmond, Calif. police officer has filed a lawsuit against former Fargo Police Chief Chris Magnus, claiming Magnus sexually harassed him.
Thomas Hauschild, claims he was wrongfully terminated in 2013 over charges of domestic battery and illegal guns. The 44-year-old had been a police officer for 8 years.
The lawsuit claims Magnus, who's now the police chief in Richmond, ran a biased investigation after Hauschild complained the chief made a sexual advance toward him.
The lawsuit details an incident that occurred when Hauschild was guarding the chief’s home. Magnus, who is openly gay, allegedly approached him dressed in “very short cut-off jeans” and touched the officer inappropriately “rubbing him on his upper leg, in an obvious sexual manner.”
After Hauschild complained, the suit claims department officials retaliated by cutting his overtime and denying him promotions.
The former officer was placed on administrative leave and subsequently fired in December 2013.
Magnus says the lawsuit is “retaliatory.” He called the allegations “a new low,” and said he “will continue to take conduct involving domestic violence and weapons issues seriously, regardless of this desperate attempt to intimidate me and shake down the city.”