FAIRFIELD – The former head of Animal Control, who lost his year-long lawsuit against the County and its administrators last month, had his motion for reconsideration tossed by Sixth Judicial Circuit Court Judge Brooks P. Goldsmith last week.
Goldsmith ruled that there was “no basis for granting the motion” brought by David Michael Hollis, former Director of Fairfield County Animal Control, following Goldsmith’s dismissal of the original case on March 18.
Hollis was terminated by the County in January 2012 after questions arose about how he had handled an incident earlier that month in which one dog attacked another in Fairfield County. The victim in the attack eventually had one hind leg amputated by a Fairfield County veterinarian, while the attacking dog was later euthanized. Hollis’s suit alleged defamation and civil conspiracy and sought $2 million in damages. Goldsmith tossed the suit after agreeing with the County that Hollis was barred from his defamation claim under the S.C. Tort Claims Act, and that his status as a public official and an at-will employee barred him from making a claim of civil conspiracy.
County administrators said this week that the County has shelled out approximately $24,000 in legal fees defending the case.
