Washington jury rejects suit over Charlie Sheen police escort

By Ian Simpson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A District of Columbia jury on Wednesday rejected a whistleblower suit filed by a police commander whose unit had escorted actor Charlie Sheen and who contended he was demoted for saying the celebrity service was common. The decision in the 2012 suit was handed down by an eight-person jury in the U.S. capital's Superior Court, a court spokeswoman said. The lawsuit by Captain Hilton Burton arose from the high-speed police escort provided for Sheen in April 2011 from Dulles International Airport in northern Virginia to a stand-up performance in Washington. Sheen, the star of such TV series as "Anger Management" and "Two and a Half Men," tweeted about the escort, generating wide media attention. The publicity prompted the District of Columbia Council to hold a hearing about the service by the police's special operations division. Burton, the head of the unit, told lawmakers there was nothing inappropriate about the escort. He later was demoted two ranks and was transferred from the special operations unit. Burton contended in the suit that he had been demoted because of the negative publicity. He also said Police Chief Cathy Lanier was upset by his contention that celebrity escorts had been provided when she headed the special operations division. Lanier testified during the trial that Burton had been demoted for several reasons. Burton had sought restoration of his former rank and payment of damages along with back pay and benefits. (Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Eric Beech)