A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit filed by a former Harlingen Municipal Judge.
Rebekah Syck sued the City of Harlingen and former City Manager Craig Lonon back in May 2008.
Syck alleges her contract was not renewed because she refused to give preferential treatment to former city commissioner Jesse Robles who had been arrested for outstanding tickets in April 2007.
The former municipal judge alleged that her First Amendment rights were violated because she spoke out against to hold a special arraignment so he wouldn’t have to spend the night in jail.
The case had been pending in federal court but U.S. District Court Judge Hilda Tagle ruled against Syck during a December 8th order to thow the case out of court.
Tagle wrote that Syck’s speech was made in a meeting as part of her public job and not as a citizen.
Court records show that Lonon requested a special arraignment for Robles.
The former city manager told Syck in the presence of her court clerk that a person from Treasure Hills might have a harder time spending the night in jail than other people.
Court records show that Syck defended her position and Lonon replied, “You do what you have to do in regard to magistrations and I’ll do what I have to do in regards to evaluations.”
Robles ended up having to spend the night in jail and Syck’s contract was ultimately not renewed prompting her to file the lawsuit.
Attorneys for the City of Harlingen could not be immediately reached for comment early Monday afternoon.
Syck’s attorney Ed Stapleton told Action 4 News that his client plans to file an appeal with the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.
Click here for a full PDF copy of Judge Tagle's order
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