Trial for Former Philly Anchorman's 'N-Word' Lawsuit Starts Monday

A former anchorman for Fox29 News in Philadelphia says he was wrongfully terminated for his use of the “n-word” during a staff meeting because other station employees used the same word without rebuke, according to Philly.com.

Tom Burlington’s argument that he was racially discriminated against when he was fired in 2007 will be heard by a federal jury when the suit’s trial begins Monday at the U.S. District Court in Philadelphia, the report says. His civil complaint says that Burlington has been unable to find work in the news business since the incident and surrounding publicity costing him more than $3 million in lost income. He now works for a Main Line real estate agency.

Lawyers representing Fox29 have argued that Burlington’s termination was not a race-based decision, but one made in response to Burlington’s poor judgment in using the full word, which caused immediate friction among the staff.

According to court records, Burlington was present during a review of a field piece on a mock funeral of the word held by the Philadelphia Youth Council of the NAACP. Video from the event showed the word being used more than 100 times, and Burlington asked if they would use the full word during the broadcast.

After staff complaints, allegedly led by anchorwoman Joyce Evans, who was not present at the meeting, Burlington was suspended, then fired after word of the incident leaked to media outlets, according to Philly.com.

Burlington’s complaint says that other, African American employees at the station have used the full term in meetings and suffered no consequences, creating a double standard that led to his termination.