Alexander Morris, a member of the legendary soul and R&B group the Four Tops, is suing Ascension Macomb Oakland Hospital in Warren, Michigan, for racial discrimination. Morris, 53, alleges that hospital staff dismissed his medical requests and labeled him “delusional” when he mentioned his affiliation with the famous group.
Morris, the current lead singer of the Four Tops, claims that hospital employees restrained him and forced him to undergo a psychiatric evaluation in April 2023. He filed a complaint on Monday, seeking at least $75,000 in compensation and requesting a trial by jury, according to People.
Morris, who joined the iconic Motown group the Four Tops in 2019, is suing Ascension Macomb Oakland Hospital, a nurse, and a security guard for racial discrimination. The Four Tops, contemporaries of the Temptations, the Supremes, and Martha and the Vandellas, were instrumental in defining the Motown sound. The security guard involved in the incident reportedly passed away in September.
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Morris alleges that hospital staff restrained him for an hour and a half during a psychiatric evaluation, assuming he was mentally ill after he identified himself as a celebrity.
“The health, safety and well-being of our patients, associates and community members remains our top priority,” a spokesperson for Ascension Hospitals said in a statement. “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.”
Morris filed a complaint stating he has a history of heart disease and sought emergency care at Ascension Macomb Oakland Hospital during a tour, experiencing chest pain and shortness of breath. He claims issues began when he mentioned his affiliation with the Four Tops upon arrival at the hospital.
He informed hospital staff about security concerns related to stalkers and fans. Allegedly, staff ceased medical care and subjected him to unwarranted psychiatric procedures, disbelieving his affiliation with the Four Tops.
Morris claims oxygen administration was halted and he was prepared for a psychiatric evaluation against his wishes. He further alleges staff ignored his pleas for oxygen, opting instead to restrain him in a straitjacket.
The singer allegedly requested the straitjacket be removed so he could leave and seek care elsewhere, but hospital staff reportedly denied his request. Morris claims a racist incident occurred involving a security guard who allegedly refused to believe his identity, ordering him to sit down with a derogatory remark.
He said his wife arrived to verify his identity to hospital staff, whom he says had dismissed his claims as delusional. He asserts that hospital staff continued to doubt his identity until his wife showed them a video of him performing at the Grammy Awards.
Following this, the psychiatric evaluation was reportedly canceled. Morris said he was released from the straitjacket and received oxygen once more. The legendary singer was diagnosed with a heart attack and pneumonia after being properly assessed by clinicians following his ordeal at the hospital.
He alleges suffering three seizures on the same day and has been informed that he may require a heart transplant in the future, which would have a profound impact on his life.
He claims he received a $25 gift card from the hospital as an apology, but it’s uncertain if a substantial verbal apology accompanied it. He states that he declined the gift card.
“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,” alleged Morris’ attorneys Maurice Davis and Jasmine Rand in a statement to People. “Even if he was mentally ill he was still in the middle of a clear medical emergency that necessitated swift medical intervention. The hospital had no excuse to deny him emergency medical treatment.”
