'I Don't Feel Like I Did Anything Wrong': Grant Napear Sues Bonneville International For Wrongful Termination
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - The former Kings announcer who was ousted over an "all lives matter" tweet is suing his old radio station employer for wrongful termination.
Longtime KHTK broadcaster Grant Napear was dropped back in June 2020 after more than two decades on the air. We spoke to Napear and his attorney about why he's only now taking legal action.
Napear remains unapologetic about his tweet, saying this lawsuit is his way of "righting a wrong" and calling the loss of his job the hardest thing he's ever been through in his life.
"I was wronged. I don't feel like I did anything wrong," said Napear.
After decades of play-by-play work for the Kings, Grant Napear is putting the full-court press on his former radio station employer.
"I made the comment on May 31 and less than 48 hours later, my career as I knew it, didn't exist anymore," he said.
That comment was a tweet in response to a question from former Kings star DeMarcus Cousins about the Black Lives Matter movement.
"I mean, all lives matter...every single one is deemed racist by a company? Or by others? I mean, who doesn't believe that all lives matter, every single one?" he said.
In a newly filed lawsuit against KHTK's parent company Bonneville International, the 62-year-old alleges wrongful termination, discrimination, and retaliation. The complaint says no one from Bonneville ever told Napear that he was "terminated for material dishonesty, misconduct or any conduct that might discredit the goodwill, good name or reputation of the company."
"It's super crystal clear that the folks out in salt lake city made a hasty and wronggheaded and discriminatory decision when they made this decision to terminate Grant. There was no investigation," said Napear's attorney
In a statement last June, Bonneville called his tweet "insensitive", saying it "parted ways" with Napear because comments "did not reflect the views and values of Bonneville."
While the suit seeks damages, the real goal, says Napear, is restoring his reputation.
"I want my name restored. I want to be vindicated," he said.
Napear has since launched a podcast. We reached out to Bonneville International tonight but they had no comment on the lawsuit.