Liberty Park of America employees sue for termination after reporting extreme racism

Three former Liberty Park of America employees have filed a lawsuit against the sports complex, claiming they were fired after complaining about the racial discrimination they were facing.

Deano Williams, one of the three men listed as plaintiffs in a racial discrimination lawsuit against Liberty Park of America in Sterling Heights, was employed as a security guard between October and April of 2014, until he was terminated.

"I had made a complaint to management regarding what was going on," Williams said. "I asked them to issue memorandums out to the players and management of each team to let them know this will not be tolerated. It was brushed off. So thereafter, I was discharged."

During his employment, Williams said he was subjected to racism by some of the patrons and players from different teams. He describes one incident in which he said a police report had been filed after he had to escort a player off the property for fighting.

"He turned to us as we stood probably about 50 feet away from him and watch him get in and leave the park, (he said) that he's got some bananas for us."

Williams said more insults followed.

"He asked do we need a ride back down to Detroit? We just stood there and just listened to him. Then he made us the comment that Obama got us the job. ... He started telling me he has some hot ones for us which is street code for bullets and he had some hollow points in the car. ... He and I had a verbal exchange and his girlfriend came around and put her forearm on my chest, and told me they would get me f-ing fired. I don't know who my daddy is you black mother******!" he said.

Williams said police arrived to diffuse that situation. In the lawsuit, plaintiffs and their attorney are seeking at least $100,000 in damages.

"Any time the employer becomes aware they have employees that are being subjected to a hostile work environment in violation of their civil rights, they should address it. That didn't occur," said Herbert Sanders, Williams' attorney.

Williams said he believes patrons and players who had been attending the park for years didn't like him because of his race.

"A lot of the patrons came up in there and a lot of players who had been there for years, and were friends with the management, a lot of them didn't like us being up in there, simply because we were black. We changed the makeup -- so to speak -- of the park," he said.

FOX 2 has reached out to the park for comment, with no response yet.