A St. Louis sheriff's deputy is throwing legal dice in a lawsuit against his former boss, Sheriff Alfred Montgomery. The former deputy, Tony Kirchner, claims his dismissal came after a bizarre command to literally roll dice for his career, as reported by FOX 2 Now. Kirchner was axed after 12 years of service and is pegging his termination on what he describes as "political collusion" involving Montgomery and Alderwoman Anne Schweitzer, his corresponding opponent in an upcoming Board of Aldermen seat race.
Kirchner, alongside his attorneys Talmage Newton and Brandy Barth, held a news conference accusing Montgomery of dishonesty. "Montgomery was caught lying about forcing a 12-year veteran to 'roll dice' to keep his job," Barth said. "Only when he became aware that the entire meeting was audio recorded did he admit to his behavior, but now tries to spin it as an act of compassion," according to a statement obtained by FOX 2 Now. Meanwhile, in another layer to the story, an audio recording surfaced, suggesting Montgomery indeed used dice to resolve Kirchner's employment status. This audio led to further scrutiny, with First Alert 4 Investigates speaking directly to Kirchner about the incident.
The lawsuit unfolds amid a backdrop of contentious city politics, wherein Sheriff Montgomery's ascent to his role was marred by a narrow victory and sharp criticisms. After winning the Democratic primary by just 221 votes out of approximately 45,000 against incumbent Vernon Betts, Montgomery went from being an ousted deputy under Betts, due to claims of absenteeism and insubordination, to the city's top law enforcement official. This tumultuous rise was recounted by St. Louis Today as part of a broader examination of Montgomery's handling of what it calls "the complex realm of leadership."
This litigation implicates not just the sheriff but could reverberate through the political corridors of St. Louis, intertwining public trust with the specter of office misuse. As the court will entertain this unusual legal challenge, Montgomery, who has not publicly commented on the lawsuit, will undoubtedly be facing heavy scrutiny in the coming days. Barth, standing by their client firmly, declared, "We will not stand idly by and allow Montgomery to make false statements about our client without repercussions," Kirchner's attorney told First Alert 4.
