Specifically, the complaint says the group discriminated againt Robertson, and that he was "discharged...for participating in the legal proceedings concerning the employees of the defendant."
The complaint states that the Humane Society is in Breach of Contract in that it "...failed to follow its own Employee Handbook, and further failed to follow the whistleblower provision contained therein."
The complaint alleges that the Humane Society defamed Robertson through language used in published reports. It asks for punitive damages, reinstatement of his position, back wages, and compensation for mental pain and suffering.
Lawsuits, of course, give only one side of a case.
Paducah attorney Jeff Alford is representing Robertson. He made the following statement on Tuesday.
"We believe he was wrongfully discharged, and on top of that, his civil rights were violated by the Humane Society. I feel, and Jeremiah feels, that he was fired from the Humane Society for doing the right thing. He was reporting a crime, and now he's the one being punished for that, while one of the persons who was actually convicted of the criminal activity still has a job out there."
Robertson began his employment at the society in 2010. His recordings of animals yelping and moaning as they were improperly euthanized eventually led to charges against two of the Humane Society's employees, Beau Anderson and Dalena Hall.
Hall's attorney, Jeremy Ian Smith, issued a statement after learning of Robertson's lawsuit and the comments by Alford stating, "Jeremiah has portrayed himself as a martyr throughout this ridiculous witch hunt and, unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth."
