$500,000 Settlement Urged in Harassment Suit : County: Panel says ex-deputy was target of abuse at jail. She says co-workers coaxed inmates to perform obscene acts in front of her.

A former female sheriff’s deputy deserves $500,000 for being subjected to a pattern of harassment at Pitchess jail by male deputies who allegedly urinated in her locker and urged jail inmates to expose themselves in front of her, a panel has recommended.

The county Board of Supervisors, which makes the final decision in such cases, rarely overturns the recommendations of the three-member Los Angeles County Claims Board.

The Sheriff’s Department and the county counsel’s office have also recommended settling the lawsuit.

The bizarre series of incidents came to light in 1991 when rookie Sheriff’s Deputy Alyson Ann Fox sued the county, the Sheriff’s Department and several deputies for $1 million, citing sexual harassment, a hostile work environment, retaliation and emotional distress that stemmed from her six-month stint at Peter J. Pitchess Honor Rancho in 1990.

After Fox reported the incidents--which also included the allegation that she was locked in a jail holding area--the Sheriff’s Department investigated and found that five deputies had urged inmates to commit obscene acts in front of Fox and to pelt her with tomatoes and eggs.

Two of the deputies involved were fired and three others resigned. Fox later quit the department.

On Monday, neither Fox nor her lawyer could be reached for comment.

The attorney for the county who handled the case said that although the settlement proposal is expensive it avoids the risk of the county losing an even larger jury award.

“Half a million dollars is a lot of money, so we didn’t get off easy,” said Kevin C. Brazile, principal deputy county counsel. “A jury could have gone much lower or much higher.”

The proposed settlement includes $200,000 in legal fees. Fox was represented by attorney Johnnie Cochran’s law firm.

According to Fox’s suit and county records, Fox was a sheriff’s deputy at the Honor Rancho from May to November, 1990, when she was subjected to harassment.

During that time, Fox claimed that a dead rat was placed in her mailbox, that she was called obscene and derogatory names, that she was shown sexually explicit drawings, and that she was told sexually offensive jokes.

A Sheriff’s Department investigation of the incidents revealed that one night in July, 1990, deputies persuaded two inmates to expose their buttocks and yell obscenities at Fox, who was stationed in a guard tower.

An inmate later said inmates had been promised second helpings of french toast at breakfast the following morning.

The report stated that, after Fox ignored them, three deputies rounded up 10 to 15 inmates who exposed themselves, masturbated and then threw food and other objects at the deputy.

Fox claimed that the treatment led to severe emotional distress, recurring nightmares, headaches, inability to continue working in law enforcement, and fear.

Fox has twice attempted to return to work as a sheriff’s deputy, but she was unable to last more than a few weeks due to continued emotional distress, fear and her inability to do her job, according to a county report.

Three deputies--Gregory M. Held, Wayne A. Horning and Ronald N. Owen--were first fired, and then allowed to resign. Deputies John Brisslinger and David Ponsant, who were fired, were on departmental probation at the time of the incident.

A county memo, supporting the settlement of the case, stated: “We believe a jury is likely to conclude that Ms. Fox was subjected to a continuing unnecessary hostile work environment and with inappropriate harassment by certain deputies. This is confirmed by the Sheriff’s Internal Affairs investigation and the action of the Sheriff’s Department in firing the deputies who engaged in harassment activities.”