Freightways Privacy Case to Go Before 3rd Judge

An invasion of privacy case against a trucking firm will be delayed again because of the death of a second federal judge assigned to the case in Santa Ana.

U.S. District Judge Linda H. McLaughlin, who was assigned the hidden-camera case against Consolidated Freightways when Judge Irving Hill died a year ago, died March 7 of injuries received in a Jan. 8 car accident.

The trucking firm had installed hidden cameras and taping equipment in the men’s rooms of its Mira Loma terminal. Workers and former employees who sued said placement of cameras behind the mirrors violated state privacy laws.

Judge Terry J. Hatter Jr., chief judge of the Central District, said the case would be assigned to a third judge in the next week or so.

Hill collapsed and died in his chambers before he could finalize his February 1998 decision to toss out the suit. McLaughlin upheld Hill’s decision, ruling that the collective bargaining agreement between Consolidated Freightways and the Teamsters’ Union preempted California privacy laws. That decision is under appeal.