Wayne Brown, a former Tulsa police officer, has asked the 10th Circuit to reconsider his First Amendment claims after being fired in 2019 for controversial social media posts made years before his employment. Brown was terminated just a month after completing training, following the resurfacing of three Facebook posts, including images supporting Donald Trump, Confederate symbols, and an anti-Islamic message. These posts, circulated by a local activist, led to his dismissal for violating the city’s code of conduct.

In December 2019, Brown filed a lawsuit against the city, arguing that his dismissal violated his free speech rights. However, the lower court ruled in favor of the city, finding that its interest in regulating employee speech outweighed Brown’s First Amendment protections. Brown has since appealed the decision, and the 10th Circuit heard his arguments on Thursday at the University of Colorado Boulder Law School. The court has yet to announce a decision on the case.