Court won't take appeal from fired state lawyer

LANSING (AP) - The Michigan Supreme Court won't get involved in the case of a state lawyer who was fired after hounding a gay student leader at the University of Michigan.

In a brief order, the court says it won't hear an appeal from Andrew Shirvell over unemployment benefits and other issues.

Shirvell was an assistant attorney general when he was fired in 2010. He had criticized Christopher Armstrong on an anti-gay blog, in Facebook posts and during visits to the University of Michigan.

Shirvell said he was exercising free speech rights, but his bosses said he was disrupting state business.

Armstrong later sued Shirvell, and a jury awarded him $4.5 million.

Published: Tue, Dec 22, 2015