WARREN, Michigan – The Four Tops frontman said a Detroit-area hospital restrained him and ordered a psychological exam after refusing to believe he was part of the musical group Motown.
Alexander Morris, who is black, filed a lawsuit Monday against Ascension Macomb-Oakland Hospital in Warren, alleging racial discrimination and other misconduct during an April 2023 visit for chest pain and breathing problems.
Hospital staff “wrongly assumed he was mentally ill when he revealed his identity as a celebrity,” the suit says.
The Four Tops began in the 1950s and had hits such as “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)” and “It’s The Same Old Song”. The group was introduced in Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.
Morris is not an original member but joined the group in 2019.
The suit says a nurse finally believed Morris was in the Four Tops and the psychological exam was cancelled.
The hospital offered a $25 gift card as an apology, but Morris refused to accept it, the suit says.
“We remain committed to honoring human dignity and acting with integrity and compassion for all people and the community,” the hospital said in response to the lawsuit. “We do not tolerate any type of racial discrimination. We will not comment on pending litigation.”
Morris spoke publicly about the incident last year, saying he had returned to his hometown of Detroit and “was told I’m crazy or schizophrenic.”
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