bernard
THEE Realist
Federal judgments against JSU under review
Jimmie E. Gates, The Clarion-Ledger 4:02 p.m. CDT September 27, 2016
Among reasons Jackson State University's then-athletic director Vivian Fuller fired head trainer Fredrick Robinson was his referring to her as his "African Nubian queen" instead of using her proper title, an attorney for the university argued Tuesday in federal court.
Robinson said he was fired in May 2012 in retaliation for speaking with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which was investigating a sexual harassment complaint against Fuller by a female employee. A sexual harassment lawsuit filed by the employee was eventually thrown out.
In January 2015, after a nine-day trial, a jury in U.S. District Court in Jackson awarded Robinson $107,100 against JSU and Fuller in his lawsuit alleging retaliation and first amendment violation.
On Tuesday, LaToya Merritt, a private attorney for JSU, asked U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate to throw out the jury award of $32,100 in compensatory and $75,000 in punitive damages.
Merritt argues the jury had no clear evidence to find Fuller had knowledge of Robinson's interview with the EEOC when he was fired.
Robinson said Fuller saw him entering the Administration Tower building on the JSU campus the day of the interview. Merritt said there was no evidence Fuller would have known what Robinson was doing in the nine-story building.
Robinson was terminated about a one and a half months after the EEOC interview. Merritt said Fuller indicated she had problems with Robinson's work ethic. Also, she said when he approached her, he referred to her as "his Afircan Nubian queen instead of Dr. Fuller or Athletic Director (Fuller) ... She was offended."
Fuller also said Robinson would be missing from work on occasion, according to Merritt.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2016/09/27/federal-judgments-against-jsu-under-review/91171000/
Jimmie E. Gates, The Clarion-Ledger 4:02 p.m. CDT September 27, 2016
Among reasons Jackson State University's then-athletic director Vivian Fuller fired head trainer Fredrick Robinson was his referring to her as his "African Nubian queen" instead of using her proper title, an attorney for the university argued Tuesday in federal court.
Robinson said he was fired in May 2012 in retaliation for speaking with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which was investigating a sexual harassment complaint against Fuller by a female employee. A sexual harassment lawsuit filed by the employee was eventually thrown out.
In January 2015, after a nine-day trial, a jury in U.S. District Court in Jackson awarded Robinson $107,100 against JSU and Fuller in his lawsuit alleging retaliation and first amendment violation.
On Tuesday, LaToya Merritt, a private attorney for JSU, asked U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate to throw out the jury award of $32,100 in compensatory and $75,000 in punitive damages.
Merritt argues the jury had no clear evidence to find Fuller had knowledge of Robinson's interview with the EEOC when he was fired.
Robinson said Fuller saw him entering the Administration Tower building on the JSU campus the day of the interview. Merritt said there was no evidence Fuller would have known what Robinson was doing in the nine-story building.
Robinson was terminated about a one and a half months after the EEOC interview. Merritt said Fuller indicated she had problems with Robinson's work ethic. Also, she said when he approached her, he referred to her as "his Afircan Nubian queen instead of Dr. Fuller or Athletic Director (Fuller) ... She was offended."
Fuller also said Robinson would be missing from work on occasion, according to Merritt.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2016/09/27/federal-judgments-against-jsu-under-review/91171000/
