SPRINGFIELD - Jurors weighing a federal discrimination lawsuit involving a former Springfield police lieutenant have delivered a split verdict.

The nine-member, all-white jury on Friday ruled in favor of the city on a count of race discrimination, but could not reach a unanimous verdict on a retaliation count in Rickey Davis' lawsuit, The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reported in a story posted on its Web site.

Davis, who is black, alleged the city and former police chief discriminated against him and then retaliated when he complained about racial problems in the force. City officials contended they did nothing wrong and went beyond expectations in supporting the officers.

Davis' attorney, Donna Harper, said her client would return to the court on the retaliation charge.

"I do think the city has certainly been sent a message that it is not pure, that it isn't off the hook and that we have strong evidence of retaliation that some of those jurors were not willing to say to the city, 'You didn't retaliate,''' Harper told the paper.