Four Tops singer apologizes after being put in hospital straitjacket: lawsuit

WARREN, Mich. (AP) — The lead singer of the Four Tops says a Detroit-area hospital detained him and ordered a psychological examination after he refused to believe he was in the Motown music group.

Alexander Morris, who is Black, filed a lawsuit Monday against Ascension Macomb-Oakland Hospital in Warren, alleging racial discrimination and other misconduct during an April 2023 visit for chest pain and breathing problems.

Hospital staff “wrongly assumed he was suffering from a mental illness when he revealed his celebrity identity,” the lawsuit states.

The Four Tops began in the 1950s and had hits such as “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)” and “It’s The Same Old Song.” The group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.

Morris is not an original member, but joined the group in 2019.

The lawsuit says a nurse eventually believed Morris was at Four Tops and the psychological exam was canceled.

The hospital offered a $25 gift card as an apology, but Morris refused to accept it, according to the suit.

“We remain committed to honoring human dignity and acting with integrity and compassion toward all people and the community,” the hospital said in response to the lawsuit. “We do not tolerate any form of racial discrimination. We will not comment on pending litigation.

Morris spoke publicly about the incident last year, saying he returned to Detroit, his hometown, and was “told I’m crazy or schizophrenic.”