WARREN, Mich. (AP) — The lead singer of the Four Tops said a Detroit-area hospital restrained him and ordered a psychological exam after he refused to believe he was part of the Motown musical group.
Alexander Morris, who is Black, filed a lawsuit Monday against Ascension Macomb-Oakland Hospital in Warren, alleging racial discrimination and other misconduct during an April 2023 visit for chest pain and breathing problems.
Hospital staff “erroneously assumed that he was mentally ill when he revealed his identity as a famous figure,” the lawsuit says.
The Four Tops started in the 1950s and had hits like “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)” and “It’s The Same Old Song.” The group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.
Morris is not an original member, but joined the group in 2019.
The lawsuit says a nurse eventually believed Morris was at the Four Tops and the psychological exam was canceled.
The hospital offered a $25 gift card as an apology, but Morris refused to accept it, the lawsuit says.
“We remain committed to honoring human dignity and acting with integrity and compassion for all people and the community,” the hospital said in response to the lawsuit. “We do not tolerate racial discrimination of any kind. We will not comment on pending litigation.”
Morris spoke publicly about the incident last year, saying he had returned to Detroit, his hometown, and was “told I’m crazy or schizophrenic.”
