Fired Assistant Sheriff’s Suit Rejected

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by former Orange County Assistant Sheriff Dennis LaDucer, who said his civil rights were violated when he was fired in August.

LaDucer, a 31-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Department, was fired after several female employees accused him of sexual harassment.

LaDucer, 52, filed the suit in September alleging that Sheriff Brad Gates and Undersheriff Raul Ramos had breached his rights to privacy and due process by publicly announcing the firing.

U.S. District Judge Richard A. Paez did not explain his ruling earlier this month. LaDucer’s attorney, Jeffrey M. Epstein, could not be reached for comment.

LaDucer was fired after an internal inquiry into sexual harassment charges by three female employees led investigators to another department employee, who accused LaDucer of raping her at his home in June 1995.

All four women filed sexual harassment lawsuits against LaDucer.

LaDucer’s federal suit charged that he was denied due process when he was refused access to reports and conclusions from the department’s inquiry that led to his firing, and when he learned of his dismissal after Gates announced it in a news release.

At the time of the firing, Gates said LaDucer “clearly . . . violated our department rules and regulations.”