Former Zoo Head Sues for His Job : Discharged Director Says City Denied Him Due Process

The discharged director of the Los Angeles Zoo filed suit in Los Angeles federal court Wednesday seeking reinstatement to his job and an order blocking the City of Los Angeles from hiring a permanent director.

Dr. Warren D. Thomas, who was fired from his $73,000-a-year post June 4 after a disciplinary hearing, charged that he had been denied due process of law because he was not given a meaningful opportunity to contest his discharge.

The suit named the City of Los Angeles and James E. Hadaway, general manager of the Department of Recreation and Parks. The action, alleging that Thomas’ civil rights were violated, also seeks compensatory and punitive damages and a temporary restraining order.

“Basically, my career is in jeopardy by virtue of how it was done,” Thomas said in a telephone interview after the suit was filed. “I was hardly given even a semblance of due process. Had due process been given, it’s hard to believe anyone would have entertained the thought of firing me.”

At the time Thomas was discharged, his boss, Hadaway, cited what he called “a series of internal problems” at the zoo in the past few years. He was not specific, but a previous lawyer for Thomas said he was accused of transferring animals without approval, insubordination and mishandling ivory artifacts that had been given to the zoo.

Thomas also declined to discuss specifics of his discharge, preferring to wait for a news conference scheduled today at the U.S. Courthouse before going inside to seek a temporary restraining order barring the hiring of a permanent zoo director.

The suit states that Thomas had been notified late in May of the intention to fire him, citing as grounds of discipline separate unspecified events alleged to have occurred in 1982, 1983, 1985 and 1986.

Thomas contended that he was denied time to adequately prepare for the hearing and was not allowed to present witnesses or exhibits on his own behalf or confront witnesses against him. He claimed that Hadaway was intent on firing him even though the Recreation and Parks Department general manager knew the charges against him were “without merit.”

He accused Hadaway of acting “with actual malice” and sought an award of punitive damages from his former boss.

Thomas, a 56-year-old zoologist and veterinarian, was named director of the Los Angeles Zoo in May, 1974, at a time of turmoil that followed a series of reports on poor conditions and the deaths of animals. He formerly headed zoos in Oklahoma City, Omaha and Brownsville, Tex.

In announcing the zoo director’s firing, Hadaway said that the city appreciated that under the direction of Thomas the zoo “has continued to provide quality service to the public.”