A lawsuit filed by a former police chief against the city of Roanoke Rapids and City Manager Kelly Traynham was voluntarily dismissed with prejudice Wednesday, according to court records.

Bobby Martin’s claims against a consulting group are still active. 

Phillip A. Collins of Bailey & Dixon LLP, who represents the former chief, said there is a confidentiality provision in the settlement agreement with the city so he could only say that Martin reached a settlement with all the defendants and that the complaint against the Richardson & Davis defendants will be dismissed once settlement documents are finalized.

The voluntary dismissal filed by Collins states that Martin dismisses with prejudice all pending claims against the city and Traynham in her individual and official capacities.

Martin, who was fired from his job as chief in 2023, claimed in the complaint that his termination by Traynham was malicious and corrupt and that it was motivated by personal desire to protect a department head, protect her advantageous political connections with an unnamed department head and other local politicians to retaliate against  him for following legitimate and valid actions.

City Attorney Geoffrey Davis said today, “As far as the city defendants are concerned, this matter is closed and the case is dismissed. It's over.”

Beyond that statement, Davis said any records involved in the matter are not public records under state statutes and other relevant personnel laws. “Throughout this process, I've said repeatedly that the city is obligated to follow state law regarding personnel information, irrespective of the public or city staff's personal feelings on the matter. I know that folks may try to fill that silence with conspiracy theories, but our hands are tied in this.”

He said the city did not pay a settlement to resolve this. “Of course, if city funds were used to do so, any payment would be a public record, and as such, readily apparent from both a budgeting standpoint, and during our yearly fiscal audit, all of which are public documents.”

He said, “All of that said, I want to be clear that nothing about the way this has played out should be construed as disparaging towards any city employees, current or former, to include former Chief Martin. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.”