ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — The Rochester dentist at the center of a lawsuit is filing his own lawsuit, a year after being accused of hosting a racist Juneteenth party at his home.

Dr. Nicholas Nicosia is suing the attorney for Jerrod Jones, a Rochester fire fighter who says he was forced to attend the July 7, 2022 event. Jones’ attorney Nate McMurray and Monroe County Legislator Rachel Barnhart are named in the defamation suit filed by Nicosia.  

In the filing, Nicosia included statements he says McMurray and Barnhart made to intentionally harm or “cancel” him and his thriving dental practice. 

For example, Nicosia says it is true they served buckets of fried chicken at the party held last July, but he maintains it was not underneath signs mocking Juneteenth. The complaint also calls it “bizarre” that the party would be associated with the Juneteenth holiday, though it admits there was a “Juneteenth Freedom Day” sign on display.

Nicosia also argues in the complaint that while pictures of legislator Barnhart were among the decorations, she was mocked for her “political views” not as a “sexual object” as has been alleged.

Barnhart declined to comment on the defamation lawsuit. McMurray did not respond to a request for comment.

In the complaint, Nicosia claims he lost multiple employees after the party became a public issue. He also claims his business revenue dropped by 30% in August 2022 and never recovered.

According to the complaint, Nicosia is a registered Democrat. His wife, Mary Nicosia, “and her friends,” are conservative. The complaint states the party’s theme was to celebrate conservative politicians and ridicule Democratic ones. It further states the napkins at the party served as promotion for former Rochester Police Chief La’Ron Singletary, who was running for the 25th Congressional District as a Republican at the time.

The complaint claims widespread criticism of that party “torpedo[ed]” Singletary’s political campaign.

The complaint makes no mention of the press conference that gained the story national attention, during which Mary Nicosia admitted to running a racist Twitter parody account, saying, “I have made blatantly racist comments under that persona.”

Read the full complaint

Nicosia has not named firefighter Jones in the defamation lawsuit filed this week. Jones’s racial discrimination lawsuit is against the Rochester Fire Department. 

The fire captain accused of brining Jones to the Nicosia’s party, Jeff Krywy, retired before termination proceedings began.