Four Tops singer alleges racism, mistreatment at Warren hospital

The lead singer of legendary Motown group the Four Tops says he was racially profiled, mistreated and even put in a type of a straight jacket by staff at a suburban Detroit hospital earlier this month and now plans to file a lawsuit.

Alexander Morris claims staff at Ascension Macomb in Warren put him in a straight jacket-type device because they thought he was "crazy" and at one point, a security guard told him to "sit his Black a-- down." He plans to file a federal lawsuit against Ascension, the healthcare system that owns and manages the hospital where he said he was mistreated.

"In February, I was performing at (the Grammys at an event) honoring Barry Gordy and Smokey Robinson," said Morris at a press conference about his experience Tuesday at Detroit's Greater Grace Temple, surrounded by his attorney, mother, the church's pastor and other supporters. "Two months later, I'm in a straight jacket in the city I grew up in, my identity being denied and I'm being told that I'm insane or schizophrenic."

Ascension Michigan, meanwhile, declined to provide details while the case is under investigation but said it doesn't condone racial discrimination of any kind.

Morris was taken to the hospital on April 7, 2023, because he was having trouble breathing and heart palpitations, according to Maurice Davis, his attorney. Morris said the hospital was the closest one to where he was at the time.

After he arrived at the hospital, Morris told caregivers he was the lead singer of the Four Tops and he was concerned about his safety because of some problems in the past and threats against the group.

"Immediately, they didn't believe anything he said," said Davis. "They racially profiled him and thought he was lying. They thought he was mentally ill instead of a successful Black man and they placed him in a straight jacket."

Hospital staff refused to allow Morris to show them any proof of his identity, the attorney said.

"A white security guard went as far as to tell him to 'sit his Black a-- down' while he was struggling to breathe and fighting for his life."

Morris said that once a sympathetic nurse listened to his pleas and he showed her a video of himself performing with the Four Tops at an event, he was freed from the straight jacket and staff began to treat him for his heart palpitations and difficulty breathing.

The whole ordeal went on for about three hours, Morris said. Davis said once hospital staff was convinced of Morris' identity, Ascension Warren officials offered him a $25 Meijer gift card as compensation for his inconvenience.

After, Morris said he had at least three seizures in the days after the incident.

"It's something that happens when you have cardiomyopathy like I do," he said. "I have a history of it but I haven't had one since I had surgery for it two years ago."

He said he stayed at the hospital until he was discharged on April 12.

The singer, who joined the Four Tops in 2019, said the experience was shocking. Morris said staff informed him they were prepared to place him under a psychiatric hold for 72 hours.

Ascension Michigan officials, meanwhile, said the health, safety and well-being of "our patients, associates and community members remains our top priority."

"We remain committed to honoring human dignity and acting with integrity and compassion for all persons and the community," the hospital said in a statement. "We do not condone racial discrimination of any kind. We are unable to provide details on cases under investigation."