Beverly Hills Firefighters' Lawsuit Over Vaccine Mandate Dismissed

BEVERLY HILLS, CA — A judge has dismissed lawsuit filed by a Beverly Hills firefighter and a former department employee who had called COVID-19 vaccines "experimental gene modification therapies."

Josh Sattley, who claimed he was fired for not getting vaccinated, and Ettore Berardinelli Jr., who was granted a religious exemption and is still with the department, sued the city of Beverly Hills, Los Angeles County and Beverly Hills City Councilman John A. Mirisch.

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge last week granted the city's motion to dismiss Sattley's claim of retaliation, which was the last remaining claim that remained in the case.

The judge previously dismissed the county and Mirisch as defendants as well as several other claims brought by the plaintiffs.

The plaintiffs filed the lawsuit in December 2021 after county officials created a requirement that all health care workers, including firefighters, be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Sattley requested and was denied an exemption from the requirement and was placed on unpaid leave after continuing to refuse the vaccine.

Judge Barbara M. Scheper on Sept. 19 found that Sattley had not exhausted his grievance options with the city before filing the lawsuit. She also found that he did not present sufficient evidence supporting his claim that he was fired because of his criticism of city policy on social media.

Although Berardinelli received a religious exemption, the suit alleged that he has been under constant review by the city and subjected to retaliation, including being reassigned to a different job that receives fewer calls. Berardinelli recovered from a COVID-19 infection and believes he has natural immunity, the suit stated.

City News Service contributed to this report.