Federal Trial Opens in Fresno Over Alleged Racial Slurs, Retaliation by Supervisor

A federal jury convened in downtown Fresno to hear allegations that a city code‑enforcement supervisor used the N‑word, racially discriminated against La‑Kebbia “Kiki” Wilson and retaliated against Charles Smith, plaintiffs' attorneys said in opening statements. U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff presided as lawyers laid out competing accounts.

Wilson and Smith filed the civil rights lawsuit in 2019 and opening statements were delivered on Feb. 24, 2026, with proceedings continuing through Feb. 25, 2026. The seated jury has eight members - four men and four women - including one Black juror and one Asian juror. Gary Goyette, the Sacramento‑based attorney for Wilson and Smith, said the case was moved to federal court “because it involves federal discrimination claims.”

Plaintiffs detailed a multi‑year workplace dispute centered in the city's code enforcement division. Wilson testified about being laid off in 2013, returning to city employment in 2016, and upon return being assigned what she described as “the worst equipment, the worst office space and the worst truck.” Fresno attorney Kevin Schwin summarized part of the claim by saying Wilson “had to fight the city to be deemed qualified for a promotion.” Wilson also filed an internal complaint with Jennifer Clark, who then headed the planning department that controlled code enforcement.

Charles Smith testified he told Wilson in June 2018 that he had overheard the supervisor make racially disparaging remarks about Wilson, including calling her an “entitled (N‑word)” and “lazy,” according to court testimony. Two former city employees also testified in court that they had heard the supervisor speak about southwest Fresno residents in a racist manner, including calling them “pigs” and doing impressions of different groups of people of color.

Plaintiffs say they faced retaliation for objecting. Smith alleges he was punished after he objected to the supervisor’s remarks. Wilson was reprimanded after she used profanity in a City Hall hallway upon learning of the alleged comments; labor representative Tony Silva testified that the city “escalated the reprimand too quickly, not following their own policies.”

The City of Fresno and the accused supervisor deny the allegations. The supervisor testified he never used the language alleged, said he suffered mental anguish and embarrassment, and sought a transfer that supervisors did not allow. A court filing quoted the supervisor as saying he “tried to justify his use of the N‑word by saying he was ending the word with an ‘A’ and not an ‘ER.’” The supervisor also filed a competing lawsuit in 2019 that the parties say failed the same year and never went to trial.

The Fresno City Employees Association is backing the plaintiffs financially; Sam Frank, the union’s business manager, said the union “has spent $1 million so far. Frank said it is because Wilson was a union member when the alleged discrimination occurred.” With Judge Sherriff presiding, jurors will now weigh witness testimony, personnel records and court filings as the trial proceeds.