Alexander Morris, lead singer of the legendary Motown group The Four Tops, has filed a lawsuit against Ascension Macomb Oakland Hospital in Warren, Michigan, alleging racial discrimination and wrongful treatment.
Though not an original member, Morris has been a key figure in The Four Tops since joining as their lead singer in 2019.
In April 2023, while on tour, Morris sought treatment at Ascension for chest pain and difficulty breathing.
According to the lawsuit filed on June 10, Morris claims he was accused of lying about his position in the group, deemed “delusional,” and denied medical care.
The lawsuit alleges that hospital staff restrained Morris for an hour and a half and ordered a psychiatric evaluation after he revealed his identity as a member of the classic group.
Despite informing the hospital of his celebrity status and security concerns, Morris’s requests for oxygen were ignored, and he was put in a restraining jacket. His request to be transferred to another hospital was also denied.
The suit further claims that a white security guard used a racial slur against Morris when he asked to show ID to prove his identity.
The situation only improved when Morris’s wife arrived and showed a video of him performing at the Grammy Awards, after which the hospital removed the restraints and provided the necessary medical treatment.
The defendants in the lawsuit, which seeks over $75,000 and a trial by jury, include the hospital, a nurse, and the now-deceased security guard.
Morris’s attorneys, Maurice Davis and Jasmine Rand, stated, “When our client presented to the hospital, he was racially profiled. The hospital staff and security guard were quicker to assume Mr. Morris was psychotic than successful because he was a Black man.”
They emphasized that even if Morris had been mentally ill, he was experiencing a clear medical emergency that required immediate attention. “The hospital had no excuse to deny him emergency medical treatment,” they added.
Morris, who has a history of cardiac issues, was ultimately diagnosed with a heart infarction, which could necessitate a heart transplant and cause pneumonia. He also suffered three seizures that day.
The hospital later offered him a $25 gift card as an apology.
An Ascension spokesperson responded, stating:
“The health, safety, and well-being of our patients, associates, and community members remain our top priority. We remain committed to honoring human dignity and acting with integrity and compassion for all persons and the community. We do not condone racial discrimination of any kind. We will not comment on pending litigation.”
