By MES Dispatch Staff
The Briefing
- Richard Thompson, who served as Sherborn Police Department chief since 2009, was awarded $1.2 million after a jury found former Town Administrator David Williams intentionally and maliciously interfered with his employment contract.
- Thompson was fired in 2020 by the Sherborn Select Board, which alleged harassment, abuse of power, and creating a climate of fear within the department, though his contract was scheduled to run through June 2022.
- The jury found Williams personally liable for malicious interference but cleared both the town and Lt. David Bento, who became acting chief after Thompson was placed on leave.
- Thompson alleged Williams and Bento conspired to remove him and used a female officer as a “pawn” to file complaints; tensions escalated after Thompson raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest involving a former Select Board member.
- Thompson was unable to secure another law enforcement position following his termination due to the allegations surrounding his dismissal, according to his attorney.
SHERBORN, MASS. — A jury awarded Richard Thompson, the former Sherborn Police Department chief, $1.2 million after determining that former Town Administrator David Williams intentionally and maliciously interfered with Thompson’s employment contract, prompting his 2020 termination.
After a three-week trial concluding June 17, the jury awarded Thompson $200,000 in back pay, $500,000 for future lost earnings, $50,000 for reputational harm, and the remainder in accrued interest. The Sherborn Select Board had fired Thompson in 2020 citing harassment, abuse of power, and creation of a workplace climate of fear within the police department, though Thompson’s contract was authorized to continue through June 2022.
Thompson alleged that Williams and Lt. David Bento conspired to remove him from office and used a female officer as a tool to generate complaints against him. The lawsuit detailed that tensions developed after Thompson raised concerns regarding a potential conflict of interest involving a former Select Board member and after Thompson filed an Open Meeting Law complaint with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. The jury cleared both the town and Bento of any liability, finding only Williams personally responsible.
“After six years of what has been an incredibly stressful and challenging time for my family and me, I have been vindicated by fourteen Jurors who listened to three weeks of evidence and testimony,” Thompson said in a statement provided through his attorney.
Thompson’s attorney, Joseph Sulman, stated that Thompson’s career was cut short by the actions of public officials and that Thompson had worked for years as a dedicated public servant. Sulman noted that Thompson was unable to obtain employment in law enforcement following his termination because of the allegations connected to his firing.
Attorneys representing Williams, Bento, and the town expressed disagreement with the verdict regarding Williams, with attorney Tom DiGani stating they were exploring post-trial legal options. Thompson previously served with the Framingham Police Department before becoming Sherborn’s police chief in 2009.