Jackson, Michigan – Jackson County will pay $1.65 million to settle a lawsuit brought by former sheriff’s office Lt. Tommy Schuette, who alleged Jackson County Sheriff Steven Rand mocked him for his hearing loss and created a hostile work environment with bigoted, racist and sexist comments.

The confidential agreement obtained by MLive was reached about a month before the case was set to go to trial on June 27.

In 2018, Schuette sued Jackson County and Rand in federal court on claims of civil rights violations. The lawsuit claimed Rand, a “multifaceted bigot,” harassed Schuette for his hearing loss and made disparaging comments about people’s gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, disabilities and weight.

It also alleged the county failed to protect Schuette from a hostile work environment and retaliated when the lieutenant reported Rand. Schuette says he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder because of the sheriff’s behavior.

In late 2020, U.S. District Court Judge Stephanie Dawkins Davis dismissed the case against Rand while allowing the lawsuit against the county to continue. Davis said the portion of the lawsuit against Rand was dismissed because federal and state disability laws do not allow individuals to be held liable – only organizations.

Under the agreement, Jackson County admits no wrongdoing saying the case was settled to “avoid significant costs and the uncertainty of continued litigation.” The agreement is a “compromise of zealously disputed facts and claims” and does not “constitute an admission of wrongdoing.”

Jackson County Administrator Michael Overton and lawyers representing the county did not immediately respond to messages left Saturday.

From the agreement, Schuette will receive $986,475 in damages plus a disability pension worth more than $330,000, according to his attorney Jim Fett. This brings the total settlement to nearly $2 million. About $663,000 will be paid to Fett’s law firm Fett & Fields.

In January 2018, Schuette played recordings and detailed his experiences to Overton and Human Resources Director Richard Martonchik, according to the lawsuit.

Rand was accused of calling a former Black deputy the n-word, addressing two command officers as “fat,” using homophobic slurs and referring to Schuette as “deaf and dumb” or “retarded.”

Schuette recorded some of the comments. Many of them disparaged and demeaned women.

In one, Rand is heard calling Chief Circuit Judge Susan Jordan a derogatory term and discussing the creation of a pornographic film of a murder involving a female court employee.

Schuette said the county failed to investigate Rand and retaliated against him by filing a report with Michigan State Police alleging Schuette tried to extort money from the county. In response, Schuette passed a polygraph test saying he never made the demands or threats.

In 2019, three current and three former colleagues of the sheriff all signed statements to support Schuette’s claims saying they overheard Rand make bigoted, disparaging, racist or sexist remarks.

The audio recordings would have been allowed at the trial if it moved forward.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declined three times to remove Rand from office and a recall effort failed. Rand, who has previously apologized for his statements, left the sheriff’s office after not seeking reelection in 2020.