Former chief's lawsuit dismissed

A Baltimore Circuit Court judge dismissed yesterday a $60 million lawsuit filed by former Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin P. Clark against the city and Gov. Martin O'Malley, who fired Clark when he was mayor.

O'Malley fired Clark in 2004, saying that allegations that the commissioner had assaulted his fiancee were distracting him from doing his job.

Clark's attorneys, A. Dwight Pettit and Neal Janey, argued that Clark was fired because he was investigating police and city officials and that the mayor did not have the proper legal authority.

Judge Albert J. Matricciani wrote that Clark was entitled only to the severance package the city already gave him - six months' "aggregate" salary, including benefits and accrued vacation time, according to the opinion released by the judge yesterday.

Pettit said that Clark would appeal Matricciani's ruling on damages and Circuit Judge Carol E. Smith's ruling denying his effort to get his job back.