Setback for firefighter

A former Lod Angeles furefighter, who became a cause celebre and hot talk radio subject for weeks, lost a court rulnig on Monday where a judge ruled his attorneys cannot prove he was the victim of retaliation.
City News Service is reporting that Tennie Pierce's attorneys did not prove he was the victim of retaliation after he complained against fellow firefighters for feeding him dog food.
Pierce had sued the city and it had been recommended he receive a $2.7 million settlement until talk radio began a campaign against the payout and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa vetoed the settlement after photos surfaced of Pierce taking part in other firehouse hazing incidents.
Pierce attorney Genie Harrison was unfazed by the ruling, saying "this happens all the time."
However, Councilman Dennis Zine, who was among the first to oppose the payout, praised the ruling.
"I am hopeful that we can maintain a stance of fiscal responsibility to the City of Los Angeles and can respond to these types of cases with logic and rational thought rather than an inappropriate financial windfall.”"