Brandi Rogers, a seasoned law enforcement officer, has filed a lawsuit against her former employer, alleging gender discrimination and retaliation. The complaint was lodged in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia on January 14, 2026, targeting Gwinnett County and its District Attorney, Patsy Austin-Gaston. Rogers claims that her termination was a direct result of discriminatory practices and retaliation after she reported sexist remarks made by her male colleagues.
Rogers’ career in law enforcement spans decades, beginning with the Atlanta Police Department in 1997. She later joined the Doraville Police Department before moving to Gwinnett County as a criminal investigator in 2012. Her journey took another turn when she was offered a position at the Gwinnett District Attorney’s Office in February 2016. However, things began to unravel when Patsy Austin-Gaston assumed office as the District Attorney in 2021. According to Rogers, shortly after Austin-Gaston’s appointment, Andy Rodriguez became Assistant Investigator and allegedly perpetuated gender-based discrimination against her.
The complaint details an incident from December 2023 where Rogers was reprimanded by Adam Gardner for not removing a vault from her vehicle—a task she found physically challenging without assistance. Gardner reportedly dismissed her concerns by pointing out that no other female investigator had complained similarly. Further compounding these issues were comments from Rodriguez suggesting that pairing two women investigators posed safety risks—an assertion Rogers had never encountered before.
Rogers took action by filing verbal complaints with the Chief Assistant District Attorney and Gwinnett County Human Resources about these discriminatory statements. On December 7, 2023, she formalized her grievances through a written complaint to HR. In response to these actions, Rogers alleges that Rodriguez retaliated by reassigning one of her cases—a move she describes as unusual.
Despite participating in an investigation into her claims over several months, Rogers learned in April 2024 that the matter had been closed without resolution. Frustrated by this outcome, she sought records of her complaint and contacted the Chair of the Gwinnett County Commissioners for further action. Her efforts culminated on June 27, 2024, when she was informed of her impending termination—a decision finalized on July 11, 2024.
Rogers’ lawsuit accuses Gwinnett County and Austin-Gaston of violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by fostering a hostile work environment based on gender discrimination and retaliating against her for reporting such conduct. She is seeking injunctive relief to prevent further discrimination or retaliation alongside compensation for lost wages and emotional distress damages.
Represented by attorneys Eleanor Mixon Attwood and Meeta Dama from Legare, Attwood & Ragan LLC., Rogers is pursuing justice through this legal avenue under Case ID: 1:26-cv-00232-ELR-RDC before Judge Eleanor L. Ross.
Source: 126cv232_Brandi_Rogers_v_Gwinnett_County_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Georgia.pdf