South Carolina mayor countersues former police chief

GREENVILLE (AP) A South Carolina mayor has filed a countersuit after she was sued by a former police chief who resigned two years ago.

The Greenville News reported Simpsonville Mayor Janice Curtis and her husband, former city councilman George Curtis, have sued former police chief Keith Grounsell. He sued them in May over incidents that led to his 2016 resignation.

The mayor and her husband say they’ve suffered significant embarrassment, damage to their personal and professional reputation, incurred attorney’s fees, lost income and experienced emotional and mental anguish.

Grounsell alleges in his suit that city officials tried to fire him for filing reports with state police about alleged misconduct involving police safety and operations.

His attorney, Brooks Derrick, said it will be about a month before a response is filed to the countersuit.