Four Tops’ Alexander Morris Sues Hospital, Alleges Racial Profiling and Terrible Treatment

Alexander Morris, lead singer of Motown’s legendary Four Tops quartet is suing a Michigan hospital for racial discrimination, CBS News reports. The singer alleges that he was treated like he was mentally ill and restrained after he had told staff that he was in the group. 

He sought treatment at Ascension Macomb-Oakland Hospital in Warren on April 7, 2023. He was taken to the emergency room by ambulance for difficulty breathing and chest pain and was put on oxygen. The singer, 53, has a history of cardiac disease, including stents and a defibrillator. 

Alarms were set off after he told a nurse and security guard that he was a member of the Four Tops and was concerned about stalkers and fans, the suit notes. Not believing him, the doctor on staff allegedly ordered a psychological evaluation, put him into a restraining jacket, and removed his oxygen and his belongings.

Morris offered to show his identification to prove his identity but was allegedly told to “sit his Black a— down” by a security guard. Because he continued having trouble breathing, he asked for his oxygen back, but says he was ignored. He also asked for the restraint jacket to be taken off and for his belongings so he could get treatment at another hospital, but was told he was unable to leave and was surrounded by several security guards to make sure he remained at the hospital as his shortness of breath went untreated. 

Per his suit, the hospital and the nurse “blatantly refused to provide Plaintiff with medical treatment due to his race and/or perceived mental disability,” the suit says. “Instead, Plaintiff received a deliberate misdiagnosis and received a lower standard of medical care based on his race that amounted to racial discrimination and delayed his actual diagnosis.”

Alexander Morris’ Wife Arrived to Intervene

The singer’s wife later arrived at the hospital, and Morris told her that the workers thought he was delusional. She confirmed his identity to a security guard, but nothing changed. He says he asked a nurse if he could show her a video of him performing at the Grammy Awards. 

“The nurse realized Plaintiff was a member of the Four Tops, and the nurse went and got the emergency room doctor to inform him,” the lawsuit said. “The emergency room doctor returned and said he was canceling the psychological evaluation.” by that time, he said he’d been restrained for an hour and a half.

He was offered a $25 Meijer “as an apology for the dehumanization and discrimination he faced at the hands of the hospital.” Morris didn’t accept it. 

A security guard who worked at the hospital later told Morris that his coworkers made racist statements and had “frequently” used excessive force with hospital patients. 

The lawsuit alleges the employees were told not to talk about the incident. The security guard involved was not suspended or disciplined. Morris is seeking more than $75,000 in damages and a jury trial.