The singer is suing the hospital, claiming that the staff thought he was mentally ill and not a member of the Four Tops

WARREN, Mich. (AP) – The Four Tops singer said a Detroit-area hospital restrained him and ordered a psychological evaluation after he refused to imagine he was part of 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 respiration problems.

Hospital staff “wrongly assumed he was mentally ill when he revealed his identity as a celebrity,” the lawsuit says.

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

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

The lawsuit says the nurse eventually believed Morris was a member of the Four Tops, and the psychological evaluation was canceled.

The hospital offered a $25 gift card as an apology, but Morris refused to simply accept it, in line with the lawsuit.

“We remain committed to respecting human dignity and acting with integrity and compassion for all individuals and communities,” the hospital said in response to the lawsuit. “We do not tolerate any racial discrimination. We will not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.”

Morris spoke publicly about the incident last 12 months, saying he returned to Detroit, his hometown, and “was told I was crazy or schizophrenic.”