Celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred
announced on Tuesday that Andrew Johnson, a gay corrections officer,
will be allowed to march in uniform in an upcoming Gay Pride parade,
celebrity
website TMZ.com reported.
The Los Angeles officer alleged he was
denied a request to march in uniform during the upcoming June 12
Christopher Street West Hollywood Gay & Lesbian Pride Parade and
Festival.
After submitting a written request to
participate in the parade, the cop says his bosses balked at the
idea, and wrote in their refusal that doing so would bring
“discredit” to his department.
At a Tuesday press conference Allred
introduced her client and announce a discrimination lawsuit against
the California Department of Corrections (CDCR); hours later the
agency backtracked.
“CDCR acknowledges that [its policy]
is outdated and requires careful revision,” the department said in
a statement. “Therefore, Correctional Officer Andrew Johnson will
be allowed to wear the CDCR uniform in the upcoming Gay Pride Parade
in Los Angeles.”
The department added that it did not
mean to offend anyone and that its decision was based on “an
interpretation of an admittedly ambiguous section” in its policy
handbook.
Last month, Allred made quick work of a
case involving a father who accused Atlanta
Braves pitching coach Roger McDowell of hurling anti-gay slurs
towards fans in San Francisco's ATT Park.