A federal jury in Houston this month handed former Harris County Precinct 3 deputy and K-9 handler Bert Whittington III a multi-million dollar win, finding he was subjected to racial harassment on the job by his supervisors. Jurors agreed that Whittington faced harassment and retaliation after complaining about racist comments, although they stopped short of deciding that his 2020 firing was based solely on race. The verdict caps a nearly five-year legal fight that Whittington has said was about clearing his name.
How the case reached jurors
Whittington sued Harris County in October 2021, and the case made a rocky trip through the courts before landing in front of a jury. It survived earlier dismissal efforts and was revived by the federal appeals court, according to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The court’s opinion and related filings describe allegations that a “small clique” of lighter-skinned deputies used racist slurs, circulated offensive memes and routinely refused to back Whittington on dangerous calls.
Verdict totals and reporting
After a three-day trial that began May 19, jurors awarded $1.1 million in damages and $550,000 in lost wages, according to post-trial reporting. Houston Public Media reported the total at about $1.65 million overall, while the Houston Chronicle noted that jurors trimmed the award by $150,000, putting the judgment closer to $1.5 million.
Whittington's response
“It was never about money for me. It was about clearing my name,” Whittington told ABC13 after the verdict. He said he hopes the outcome will push Precinct 3 toward a cultural reset. The lawsuit and trial record show he was disciplined in 2020 for not wearing a body-worn camera and over allegations that he mishandled evidence, actions he has argued were simply pretexts for retaliation after he spoke up.
What it means for the county
The Harris County Attorney's Office, which defended the county at trial, did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and the constable's office also declined to comment, according to reporting. The verdict is the latest costly legal hit for the county. The Houston Chronicle has reported on a separate multi-million dollar payout in recent years tied to a different constable's office, underscoring the financial and reputational stakes now facing local law enforcement.
