Image Credit: @VoteGlennFunk / X & Canva
The Tennessee Conservative Staff –
Nashville District Attorney General Glenn Funk is facing yet another lawsuit, this time accused of demoting a former prosecutor after she served on a jury and voted to acquit a defendant who was being prosecuted by Funk’s office.
The lawsuit, which alleges that Funk violated the First Amendment rights of former employee Katie Hagan, was filed on Monday in U.S. District Court.
According to the suit, Hagan was hired as an assistant district attorney in January 2024 and was lauded as a “highly respected attorney.”
Hagan was summoned for jury duty in July 2024 and made it clear that she was an employee of Funk’s office. She was selected as foreperson for the jury, hearing a case in which the defendant was accused of aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a handgun, and public intoxication. The jury deliberated for under an hour before finding the defendant not guilty.
Following the trial, Funk “berated Ms. Hagan for her jury service and accused her of being unethical.”
The lawsuit states that Funk “specifically took issue with the jury’s returning a verdict of ‘not guilty’ and told Ms. Hagan that the ‘not guilty’ verdict could strain her relationship with law enforcement officers in the Metro Nashville Police Department.”
Hagan sent a letter to Funk, which was included in the lawsuit, to document the response. After this, Funk demoted Hagan. She was no longer assigned to the courtroom but was instead placed in a position where she reviewed visa applications by immigrants who were involved in pending legal cases as victims of crimes.
In her letter, Hagan added, “Honestly, it is professionally insulting that you want me to do the job that an intern is capable of performing.” She noted that being demoted gave the “false impression” that she had been wrong to serve on the jury.
Hagan resigned on September 10 after being told that she would not be reassigned to the courtroom until March or April 2025 at the earliest.
Back in September, Funk’s office said that guidance from the state ethics board makes it clear that attorneys in the DA’s office should refuse to serve on a jury because it would be an ethical violation.
However, as the lawsuit states, the personnel manual for the DA’s office states the exact opposite: “Jury service is a responsibility of good citizenship, and all employees are expected to honor subpoenas for jury duty in any court. It is the office policy that employees serve rather than seek to be excused or exempted. Jury service is both a privilege and an obligation.”
Recent reports from the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office alleges other circumstances in which employees have been demoted in what appear to be instances of retaliation by Funk.
“Ms. Hagan is at least the second assistant district attorney to be reassigned and demoted by the Defendant under circumstances amounting to punishment for protected activities,” states the lawsuit.
The plaintiff is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, reinstatement of her original position, and attorney costs.
One Response
Wish her the best.