The lead singer of the Four Tops has filed a lawsuit against a Detroit-area hospital for racial discrimination. He claims that the hospital staff put him in a restraining jacket and ordered a psychiatric evaluation because they did not believe he was a public figure.
Alexander Morris, who became a part of the iconic Motown quartet in 2018, alleges that he was admitted to Ascension Macomb-Oakland Hospital in Warren, Michigan, on April 7, 2023, showing signs of cardiac distress. In the emergency room, he informed a nurse and a security guard (both named as defendants) about his role in the Four Tops due to security concerns involving stalkers and fans.
The Four Tops, known for their contribution to the Motown Sound with hits like “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)” and “Reach Out I’ll Be There,” had been on a national tour with the Temptations and had recently performed at the Grammy Awards when Morris was hospitalized at Ascension Macomb-Oakland.
However, Morris, who is Black, claims that the nurse, a white security guard, and a white emergency room doctor doubted his position in the group. He alleges that they racially profiled him and unfairly assumed he was mentally ill, opting for a psychiatric evaluation instead of providing the necessary medical treatment.
Morris, who had a history of cardiac issues, including stents and a defibrillator, was allegedly taken off oxygen and put in a restraining jacket by the doctor’s orders. He states that he was mistreated during his hospital stay, with the staff ignoring his requests and declining to remove him from restraints or return his belongings.
After Morris requested to show a video of their Grammy Awards performance to prove his identity, a nurse verified his status in the Four Tops, leading to the cancellation of the psychiatric evaluation.
Overall, Morris claims he was restrained and deprived of oxygen for 90 minutes, resulting in a heart infarction, pneumonia, and seizures. The hospital offered him a $25 gift card as an apology, which he refused. The lawsuit also includes allegations of racist behavior by a security guard and tampering with incident reports related to Morris’s hospitalization.
Morris’s lawsuit includes various claims such as racial discrimination, civil rights violation, negligence, battery, false imprisonment, emotional distress, and ADA violation. He is seeking over $75,000 in damages through a jury trial.
In response to the lawsuit, the hospital stated, “We do not tolerate racial discrimination of any kind and remain committed to treating all individuals with dignity and compassion.”
