Mooresville Mayor Sued by Ex-Assistant Police Chief Over Late-Night Encounters

Lawsuit alleges missing or mishandled electronic evidence, retaliation, and constitutional rights violations

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Mooresville's former assistant police chief has filed a federal whistleblower lawsuit against the town's mayor, Chris Carney, claiming he was forced into retirement after raising concerns about two late-night incidents involving the mayor. The lawsuit alleges missing or mishandled electronic evidence, retaliation by senior town officials, and violations of the former assistant chief's constitutional rights.

Why it matters

This case raises concerns about potential abuse of power and lack of transparency in local government, as well as the protection of whistleblowers who report wrongdoing by public officials.

The details

The lawsuit filed by the former assistant police chief alleges that he was retaliated against and forced into retirement after reporting two late-night incidents involving Mayor Chris Carney. The lawsuit claims there were issues with the handling of electronic evidence related to these incidents and that the former assistant chief's constitutional rights were violated.

  • The lawsuit was filed in federal court on February 10, 2026.

The players

Chris Carney

The mayor of Mooresville, North Carolina.

Mooresville's former assistant police chief

The plaintiff in the federal whistleblower lawsuit against Mayor Chris Carney.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow the former assistant police chief to continue the lawsuit against Mayor Carney.

The takeaway

This case highlights the importance of government transparency and the protection of whistleblowers who report potential wrongdoing by public officials, in order to maintain public trust and accountability in local government.