Motown singer Alexander Morris is suing a Michigan hospital following an unpleasant emergency room experience.
In the lawsuit filed on Monday, June 10, Morris claimed that staff members at Ascension Macomb Oakland Hospital did not believe he was a member of the musical group the Four Tops when he came in for “symptoms of cardiac arrest,” per court documents obtained by Us Weekly. Upon expressing security concerns about potential fans and stalkers, staff allegedly believed he was “delusional” and was ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation.
The lawsuit also alleged that Morris was placed in a straitjacket, taken off of oxygen and was not permitted to retrieve his personal items. While restricted, Morris said a white security guard and a white doctor racially profiled him and believed he was “mentally ill.” Among the lawsuit’s claims, Morris said he was told to “sit his Black ass down” when he attempted to prove his identity as a celebrity figure. None of the nursing staff allegedly intervened after the comment was made.
“He was told he was not free to leave; thus, he was falsely imprisoned and deprived of his personal property,” the lawsuit stated. “During this time his medical condition continuously declined and he was denied the medical treatment he desperately needed.”
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According to the lawsuit, Morris was “diagnosed with a heart infection that may require a heart transplant, pneumonia, and he suffered three seizures during his stay.” Morris’ wife ultimately set the record straight when she arrived to collect his belongings.
“A nurse came to Plaintiff’s side, and Plaintiff asked to show the nurse the video of him performing at the Grammys,” the docs continued. “The nurse realized Plaintiff was a member of the Four Tops, and the nurse went and got the emergency room doctor to inform him. The emergency room doctor returned and said he was canceling the psychological evaluation.” The encounter lasted around 90 minutes.
The hospital offered Morris a $25 gift card for the troubles, which he declined. He is suing for “severe mental and psychological suffering,” racial discrimination, negligence, false imprisonment and violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act. He is seeking $75,000 in damages.
“It was a terrifying experience to be in the middle of a medical emergency, to be placed into restraints, to have my oxygen turned off, my personal effects taken from me, and no help from the doctors and nurses because of the color of my skin. Racial profiling nearly cost me my life,” Morris said in a statement released by his attorneys on Tuesday, June 11.
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He added: “I filed the lawsuit to hold the hospital accountable for the way I was treated and to protect the younger generations from racism in healthcare.”
A spokesperson for the Ascension Macomb Oakland Hospital responded to the lawsuit in a statement on Tuesday, saying that the hospital doesn’t “condone racial discrimination of any kind” and won’t comment on pending litigation, per NBC News.
The statement continued: “The health, safety and well-being of our patients, associates and community members remains our top priority. We remain committed to honoring human dignity and acting with integrity and compassion for all persons and the community.”
Morris is not an original member of the Four Tops, which was formed in the 1960s, but joined the famous group in 2019.
