Veteran prosecutor Kent Morgan has taken the first step in filing a civil lawsuit against his boss, Salt Lake County District Attorney Lohra L. Miller, claiming she and other members of her staff have lied about his professional conduct and made false statements to damage his reputation.

Morgan filed a notice of claim with the Salt Lake County Clerk's office Wednesday asking for damages in the amount of $1.7 million.

The bad blood between Morgan and Miller appears to have started after Miller beat Morgan in the 2006 election for district attorney, Morgan contends.

In his filing, Morgan claims an informant in a criminal case secretly made false and inaccurate allegations against him and that Miller fired him in March 2008 based on those allegations.

Morgan also claims that Miller or other employees advised employees to lie at a hearing in front of the county Career Service Council to corroborate wrongdoings alleged against Morgan.

In April 2009, the council reinstated Morgan after ruling his termination was "not supported by substantial evidence."

In August, the council also found Miller was retaliating against Morgan by assigning him to do legal work research for other attorneys rather than returning him to felony prosecutions.

But instead of returning him to the courtroom, Miller moved him to the D.A.'s civil division and appealed the council's decision in district court.

All the while, Miller or other employees "embarked on a campaign of innuendo and false light," against him, Morgan claims.

"Through the date of this notice of claim, the defendants have continued to engage in unlawful retaliatory actions against Mr. Morgan designed to harm his professional reputation as a prosecutor for which Mr. Morgan intends to seek compensation therefore from defendants," the filing states.

Morgan is asking for lost wages, benefits and damage to future earning, attorney fees and additional damages.