*A Michigan-based hospital is at the center of a legal situation involving a member of the legendary Motown singing group the Four Tops. The suit, filed June 10 in federal court, details the situation between Ascension Macomb Oakland Hospital and Alexander Morris.
Morris is suing the Detroit area facility, under accusations that two staff members ordered a psychological evaluation after refusing to believe him when he told them he was a Four Tops member. Morris’ ordeal goes back to April 2023, when he was transported to Ascension Macomb Oakland Hospital’s emergency room in an ambulance. The lawsuit noted the vocalist, who had a history of heart disease, faced difficulty breathing and chest pain at the time, as he was on oxygen.
According to Morris, things took a turn for the worse after admitting to a nurse and security guard at the hospital he was a member of the Four Tops and had security concerns due to stalkers and fans, the suit read. After the confession, the decision was made to remove Morris from oxygen and seek a psych evaluation, according to The Wrap. The suit further mentioned claims from Morris that he was subsequently “racially profiled” and/or profiled “based upon a perceived disability” by the nurse (Holly Jackson), security guard (Greg Ciesielski), and ER doctor Brandon Harris Fishman after arriving at the ER. Ciesielski and Fishman are identified as white in Morris’ lawsuit, with Jackson, Ciesielski and the hospital named as defendants.
While at the hospital, Morris had three seizures. He was later diagnosed with pneumonia as well as a heart attack that could require a transplant.
@cbsmornings The lead singer of the Four Tops, Alexander Morris, says staffers at a Michigan hospital put him in a straightjacket and placed him under a psychological evaluation after he told staffers that he was a member of the Motown group, according to a new lawsuit. The evaluation was canceled after Morris showed a nurse a video of the Four Tops performing at the Grammys. #news #fourtops #motown ♬ original sound – CBS Mornings
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The legal situation marks a low point for the singer, who joined the Four Tops in 2019. The iconic quartet is known for a slew of classic material such as “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch),” “Baby I Need Your Loving” and “Reach Out I’ll Be There.”
Currently, Abdul “Duke” Fakir, is the only original member of the Four Tops left after the deaths of fellow Tops originators Levi Stubbs, Renaldo “Obie” Benson and Lawrence Payton
Responding to the suit, an Ascension spokesperson said in a statement.
“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. We do not condone racial discrimination of any kind. We will not comment on pending litigation.”
The reason behind placing Morris for a psychological evaluation came from Jackson, Ciesielski, and Fishman not believing Morris was a singer or member of the Four Tops, the suit pointed out, adding that Fishman spoke with the entertainer, who revealed his difficulty breathing and chest pain to him.
Morris’ action mentioned the defendants and Fishman “wrongfully assumed he was mentally ill when he revealed his identity as a celebrity figure. Defendants and/or Brandon Harris Fishman, DO decided to remove him from oxygen and pursue a psychiatric evaluation instead despite his clear symptoms of cardiac distress and significant medical history.”
The lawsuit highlighted the interaction between the security guard and Morris when the signer asked if he could prove his identity by showing his ID card. It was then the guard ordered Morris to “sit his Black ass down.” The suit confirms Morris had a valid ID on him and could easily have been identified as a member of the group.
“None of the nursing staff intervened to stop the racial discrimination and mistreatment of Plaintiff,” the suit stated. “Plaintiff told medical staff he was having difficulty breathing and asked for the oxygen back but was ignored.”
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Instead of ordering the emergency medical treatment he needed, the suit mentioned the doctor “ordered a psychological evaluation for Plaintiff instead of ordering the emergency medical treatment he needed.”
When Morris tried to leave, he was told he was not free to do so. The suit alleges the “It’s the Same Old Song” singer was falsely imprisoned, with several security guards, who were called in and surrounded Morris.
“During this time his medical condition continuously declined and he was denied the medical treatment he desperately needed,” the suit continues. “During this entire incident, Plaintiff was not being treated for his medical emergency, namely a severe heart condition and pneumonia.”
Upon hearing from Morris about his experience and perceptions of him being delusional, his wife validated he was a member of the Four Tops. Despite the confirmation, it didn’t prevent Morris from still being held in restraints.
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It was only after a nurse saw a video Morris showed her of him performing at the Grammys, that the situation shifted as he told the truth and informed the doctor, who canceled the psych evaluation.
After an hour and a half, Morris’ restraint jacket was removed and he was placed back on oxygen. Although Morris was offered a $25 gift card to Meijers as an apology from the hospital after his identity was established, he declined the peace offering.
In addition, Morris later received word from another security guard that Ciesielski had made racist comments and jokes to coworkers about Black people and “frequently used excessive force with patients.”
Add in further comments from the other guard that he witnessed employees tamper with the internal incident report about what happened with Morris and the plot thickens.
What a wild story! But what do YOU think? Scroll down and speak your mind about what happened to Alexander Morris.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB: Four Tops Singer to Sue ‘Racist’ Hospital: They Told Him to ‘Sit His Black A** Down’ | Watch
