Snowden sues Monticello over his termination

MONTICELLO – James Snowden, the fired Monticello building inspector, is suing the village claiming he was terminated unjustly.
Snowden’s attorney, Michael Sussman, said his client followed the direction of former Mayor Gordon Jenkins and demolished the village courthouse. Village officials claimed they were not warned by him that the building had asbestos. But Sussman said they were told there were small amounts of the carcinogenic substance.
“Those involved were advised there was asbestos, very small quantities of asbestos, and he and Jenkins were both assured by the contractor who did the demolition, but that asbestos would be, in fact, isolated, and not disposed of with all the debris from the demolition,” Sussman said. “We don’t think Mr. Snowden did anything wrong.”
The attorney also represents Snowden in a criminal case, where he filed a motion to dismiss that in the interest of justice. “I don’t think Mr. Snowden’s behavior amounted to a hill of beans, let alone criminal conduct.”
Sussman, who also previously represented Jenkins, said Snowden “got caught up with association with Gordon Jenkins because Jenkins “became wildly unpopular, the target of several prosecutions and swept up in that was Mr. Snowden and his good name and reputation.”