WESTOVER, W.Va. — The city of Westover hes settled the lawsuit brought against the city by former councilman Ralph Mullins.
U.S. District Judge Thomas Kleeh dismissed seven of the nine counts filed against the city, former mayor Dave Johnson, attorney Tim Stranko, clerk Sandy Weiss and five current and former members of council.
The remaining counts of assault and battery against former mayor Dave Johnson were settled for $3,000. Johnson was also charged with misdemeanor battery from an incident during a council meeting in Feb. of 2022 but was found not guilty in magistrate court.
In the lawsuit Mullins said his First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendments were violated, intentional infliction of emotional distress, violation of the West Virginia Whistle Blower Law, slander, assault, and battery.
Johnson was the lone defendant in the lawsuit after the judge dismissed the whistleblower claim.
In a statement to The Dominion Post, Mullins said he believes the lawsuit was successful.
“From two short years ago, the entire Westover legislative and executive has been dismantled with the exception of two. The premise of this case was to ensure that those who betrayed the public trust would never again be in a position to do so. And we achieved that.”