Brackney lawsuit dismissed, but her firing still remains puzzling

In September 2021, a short press release went out on a Wednesday evening announcing Charlottesville's police chief had been fired. No explanation was provided...

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After U.S. District Judge Norman K. Moon dismissed former Charlottesville Police Chief RaShall Brackney’s $10 lawsuit against the City last week, Charlottesville Mayor Lloyd Snook, who was named as a defendant, was quick to characterize the decision as a vindication, telling NBC29 that he was "very glad that Judge Moon recognized that when Chief Brackney was fired a year plus ago, that nobody acted out of any improper motive." He also said that the ruling would allow the city to "sort of close the book on the Brackney era."

Brackney alleged that discrimination against her, and resistance to her efforts to implement police reforms, led to her abrupt firing in September 2021 by then-City Manager Chip Boyles.

Ironically, Mayor Snook may have applied the same kind of theoretical conclusions that likely caused J…