[url]http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/11/21/firefighter.harassment.ap/index.html[/url]

[QUOTE]LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- The mayor has vetoed a $2.7 million settlement the City Council awarded to a black firefighter who said he suffered racial harassment after co-workers served him spaghetti laced with dog food.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said he wanted the council to reconsider its decision in light of photographs recently posted on a Web site showing the firefighter, Tennie Pierce, engaged in hazing pranks.

"Given the magnitude of the recommended settlement, taxpayers have a right to demand a reconsideration with the full benefit of the facts," Villaraigosa said.

"I can't wait to see them in court," said Pierce's attorney, Genie Harrison.

Pierce, 51, sued the Fire Department in 2005 after fellow firefighters mixed dog food into his spaghetti dinner.

Pierce said he suffered retaliation for reporting the incident and verbal slurs, insults and derogatory remarks, including taunting by firefighters "barking like dogs (and) asking him how dog food tasted," the lawsuit said.

Several council members said City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo did not show any photos to them before they voted 11-1 earlier this month to award the largest settlement in Fire Department history.

Delgadillo's spokesman, Nick Velasquez, said his boss made a comprehensive presentation to the City Council and mediator, but wouldn't specify whether Delgadillo shared the photos.

When some photos of Pierce participating in crude firehouse pranks surfaced last week, the city council rejected a motion to reconsider the settlement.

The issue gained momentum, however, when it became the target of a popular radio show, The John and Ken Show, whose hosts criticized the size of the award.

Photos posted on the radio show's Web site depict Pierce roughhousing, pouring what seems to be water on fellow firefighters and smiling as others rubbed gooey, food-like substances on bare-chested men, apparently strapped to chairs.

Several city council members said Monday they expected the council to comply with the mayor's wishes and revisit their decision.
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Living in Southern California I have seen this story every damned day and I think it is ****ing retarded that this guy is crying racisim. It isn't racisim you ****! They put dog food in your meal because you kept calling yourself "Big Dawg" and saying stupid **** like "Feed the Big Dawg" and since firefighters on down time are like frat boys they played a prank on you. Boo ****ing Hoo cry me a rivier.

I am actually happy the mayor vetoed this ****, what the story doesn't mention is what I said above about this guy's nick name being "Big Dawg", so they did what he said. As a prank they fed him dog food. On top of the pictures mentioned where he is pranking other firefighters they forgot to mention a picture of him hold another firefighters genitals and shaving them. Now the NAACP is bitching about this "Appaliing racist act" and they are calling for the fire cheifs job. I wish they would just shut the **** up and actually look into what they are complaining about and not jump up and scream racisim every time some moron tries to play the race card to get money.