The truth surrounding the character assassination attempt on Mark Burr, firefighter and gentleman. Read this story and you decide:

On 2/13/07 I was asked to lie about the “plate incident.” (After someone made a statement Lt. Crowe threw several dishes at 2 Firefighters (Quick note: Lt. Crowe was demoted to Sgt. and became the aide to the First Battalion Fire Chief, located at engine 12), striking both the white and black Firefighters in the face and head, causing massive lacerations. One firefighter who lost a lot of blood was taken to the hospital immediately; the other, who was knocked unconscious, had to be convinced. Please note that this was a criminal assault.

After the plates were thrown Chief McClafferty asked Lehan what he should do. Sgt. R. Lehan proposed a cover up story to the Battalion Fire Chief McClafferty while I was present. Chief McClafferty then stated that he did not want to get the police involved or the media, since they were waiting outside the firehouse to get more coverage of the D Street fire we had just returned from. The cover up was to say that the plates fell from the kitchen cabinet of Engine 30 and struck the two firemen in the head. lBy the way there are no cabinets in Engine 30.] Sgt Lehan also stated that the Deputy Fire Chief Ellerbe did not need to get involved and he didn't want this event to leak to the media. (The media coverage of DCFD at the time was negative; this was around the time of the alleged prostitute ring at Engine 27.)

Chief McClafferty then asked Sgt. Richard Lehan (now Lieutenant Lehan) if this story would work. Sgt. Lehan replied and said that it will if all the guys will agree to it. Right after Sgt. Lehan made that last statement, they looked to me for approval. I refused to comply with that story, saying, “there is no way I can lie about what just happened, and if I have to put out a special report in writing I will tell the truth.” Chief McClafferty and Sgt. Lehan both shared an expression of frustration and Chief McClafferty then stated that we have to tell the truth because he did not want this to come back and bite him in the rear later. Lt. R. Lehan called another firefighter and asked him if he would lie and he responded “No” and hung up. Lt. Lehan threatened me soon after that plate incident saying that he was going to get rid of me. I did not take Lt. Lehan seriously after he made his threat; but then I noticed how he showed a special interest in my annual physical that was soon to come. Lt. Lehan and Capt. Ceglie would ask me about my physical, what the date was, had it been approved in front all my crew members every morning. They would joke about drug use i.e., crack, coke and marijuana, behavior that I did not participate in. They would call the Police and Fire Clinic (PFC) consistently about people who they were interested in. After my physical on11/19/07 I was recalled to the Police and Fire Clinic to resubmit a urine sample on 11/20/07. The purpose of this test is still unknown.
2 firefighters called me and said that Dept Aide Sgt. Eddie Lehan (twin brother of Lt. Richard Lehan) were questioning the entire house about my social habits and if anybody hung out with me to verify any drug abuse problem.

Chief McClafferty said that I had to be retested because my urine was light. There is a scientific question surrounding that statement - what does light mean?

In the car on the way to the PFC for my retest, Lt. R. Lehan's twin brother, Dept. Fire Chief Aide Sgt. Eddie Lehan, asked how long I had been working with the Fire Department; I told him 4 years and then he stated to me that, I "must be one of those stupid M-----F------s who would lose their job for doing stupid S--t.”

Even if it was true, the Substance Abuse policy states that you are allowed a second chance after rehabilitation. (See Firefighters Bulletin 1, 1989 and 5, 2007…; note that Bulletin 5 is unofficial.)

I had questions about why I had to be retested. Some comments from the lab technicians and Police and Fire liaison were that I would not be protesting the retest if I didn’t already know it was dirty. Chief Begley, who is in charge of the PFC, is also a “rumored” member of Lt. R. Lehan’s clique; Lehan is also affectionately referred to as 'the Godfather'.

My test results came back positive for marijuana and thus I had to begin a rehabilitation(12/14/07) program to return to work, a program which I completed in January of 2008. After completion of the program the powers that be still went forward with my termination. My rehab counselor from Kaiser Permanente, Lee Budahn, and Rebecca Montgomery, my Case Manager while in the counseling program, both stated that I did not fit the criteria for the program, that I never exhibited signs of an addict. However, they were informed by the fire department that the program was mandatory in order for me to return to work. I have been negative in all my drug screens since completion of the counseling program. I have been testing weekly since that date of 11/20/07 and the two subsequent drug test results left me more puzzled than before. On 11/19/07 I was told that I submitted a diluted sample; 11/20/07 was the first positive test, 11/30/07 was a negative result, and on 12/04/07 was another positive result for marijuana. 12/11/07 was the first a negative test after that and it has been negative ever since.

I am now facing termination from the DCFD and have been barred from all Fire Department grounds and functions by the Assistant Fire Chief Schultz, who also shares a close relationship with Lt. Richard Lehan. To my knowledge, there have been several other firefighters whose tests have come up positive, however, they have not been barred from the Fire Department and functions. I have written this Assistant Fire Chief several times for an explanation of the reasons why I have been barred from the fire stations; to date, I have not been given a reason that reflects the Fire Department policy.

The Battalion Fire Chief Begley of the Police and Fire Clinic threatened me about termination (12/07/07) before I started drug counseling. This individual shares yet another close relationship to the Assistant Fire Chief Schultz and Lt. Lehan. As you can see I have the odds stacked against me with an issue that is neither a part of my character, nor a habit I own. The reason for this? Well, I think it's evident; I didn't agree to lie and now I have a drug problem - how convenient!

The Union, Local 36, was and has been fully aware of my situation from the very beginning and has been of no assistance. They have not intervened, even upon request from me.
Firefighter Burr is now going through Trial Board procedures (which is about as fair as getting a fair trail at Guantanamo Bay), where he has been referred to by the prosecuting attorney as a "Stoner." A transcript from his Trial Board can be requested through the DCFD.

Another Example why E.R.A.S.E.'s demands are for:
-A Judicial Review
-A Citizen's Review Board
-A Congressional Inquiry
-Getting rid of the do-nothing union
-Getting Lt. Lehan out of our neighborhood along with Fire Chief Rubin; Deputy Chiefs Brian Lee and Lawrence Shultz out of our community (latter 2 MD residents). Also add to the list Training Coordinator Stamey (with his 6 figure salary) and fake instructors Dickey and Murphy, NOT certified and all non-DC residents!