June 12th 2024.
The lead singer of the iconic Motown group, The Four Tops, has taken legal action against a hospital in Michigan. This comes after the hospital accused him of fabricating his role in the group. Alexander Morris, who joined The Four Tops as their lead singer in 2019, may not have been an original member, but he has played a pivotal role in the quartet's success in the 1960s. Their music dominated the pop scene and helped Motown achieve global recognition.
According to People, Morris' music career was disregarded when he sought medical attention at Ascension Macomb Oakland Hospital in Warren in April 2023. In a lawsuit filed on June 10th, Morris claims that he faced racial discrimination at the hospital. He alleges that the hospital staff deemed him as "delusional" and refused to provide him with medical care when he informed them of his position in the renowned group.
The lawsuit states that Morris was experiencing chest pain and difficulty breathing while on tour with the band. He sought treatment at Ascension, informing them about his celebrity status and concerns for his safety due to stalkers and fans. However, instead of receiving emergency medical treatment, Morris was taken off oxygen and ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.
Despite his requests for oxygen, Morris was ignored and even put in a restraining jacket. He asked to be released from the restraints so he could seek treatment at another hospital, but his request was denied. The lawsuit also accuses a white security guard, who has since passed away, of telling Morris to "sit his Black ass down" when he asked to show his ID to prove his identity.
The lawsuit seeks more than $75,000 in damages and a trial by jury. The hospital, a nurse, and the late security guard are listed as defendants. It wasn't until Morris' wife arrived and showed a video of him performing at the Grammy Awards that the hospital removed the restraints and put him back on oxygen.
Morris' attorneys, Maurice Davis and Jasmine Rand, released a statement saying, "When our client arrived at the hospital, he was racially profiled. The hospital staff and security guard were quick to assume that Mr. Morris was mentally unstable because he was a Black man. Even if he had a mental illness, he was still in the midst of a medical emergency that required urgent attention. The hospital had no justification for denying him emergency medical treatment."
The lawsuit reveals that Morris, who has a history of cardiac problems, was diagnosed with a heart infarction that may require a heart transplant and could lead to pneumonia. He also suffered three seizures on the day of the incident. Morris claims that the hospital offered him a $25 gift card as an apology.
An Ascension spokesperson released a statement saying, "The health, safety, and well-being of our patients, employees, and community members are our top priorities. We are committed to treating everyone with dignity and acting with integrity and compassion. We do not tolerate any form of racial discrimination. We will not comment on ongoing litigation."
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