Crystal Eschert files lawsuit against city of Charlotte

Former Charlotte Fire Department arson investigator Crystal Eschert has filed a lawsuit against the city of Charlotte for unlawful termination.

Eschert was fired in fall 2014 over a Facebook post about Ferguson, Mo. The city said the post was offensive and inflammatory.

But Eschert has said the post was only an excuse to fire her. She said the Charlotte Fire Department terminated her because she had complained about the quality and safety of renovations at a new office for fire investigators on North Graham Street.

The city has denied that. An outside investigator hired by the city found a number of Fire Department employees believed the department would engage in “unfair punishment, targeting, and retaliation” but the report found “no direct evidence” it did so against Eschert.

Fire Chief Jon Hannan was part of the investigation. He was recently placed on three-month probation by City Manager Ron Carlee on an unrelated matter, the release of a confidential city memo to the news media.

This story was originally published April 15, 2016 at 5:43 PM with the headline "Crystal Eschert files lawsuit against city of Charlotte."