BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Former Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Jude Washington has filed a lawsuit accusing Sheriff Mark Pettway and other top officials of retaliation, wrongful termination and civil rights violations after he reported alleged misconduct inside the department.
Washington, a longtime narcotics investigator whose career with the sheriff’s office spans more than two decades, alleges in the complaint that he was targeted, disciplined and ultimately pushed out of his job because he raised concerns about how the office handled certain cases and internal practices. The lawsuit, filed this month, contends that the actions against him violated his constitutional rights and state law protections for employees who report wrongdoing.
According to reporting on the filing, Washington claims he was unjustly terminated by the sheriff’s office in January after years of service and positive performance, and that the discipline he received was driven by politics and retaliation rather than legitimate policy violations. The suit says he faced a hostile work environment, unfair internal investigations and career‑ending penalties after speaking out.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office has sharply rejected Washington’s allegations, calling the lawsuit “frivolous,” “false,” “defamatory” and “meritless” in a public statement. The office points to a July 23, 2024, Jefferson County Personnel Board order that found the sheriff’s office proved Washington violated policies, concluding that he “admitted his guilt after a series of less than truthful interviews and a failed polygraph test.”
The Personnel Board ordered Washington to serve a 45‑day suspension without pay and complete a mandatory ethics review course, according to the sheriff’s office. Officials say Washington resigned from the department instead of completing that course and did not appeal the Personnel Board’s decision, arguing that history undercuts his claims in the lawsuit.
Washington is also a declared candidate in the 2026 race for Jefferson County sheriff, setting up a legal and political battle with Pettway as the campaign year begins. His lawsuit casts his termination as part of a broader pattern of retaliation against employees who challenge leadership, while Pettway’s office maintains it acted appropriately and plans to defend the case in court.