Ex-Deputy Wins Harassment Suit
A jury on Friday awarded $200,000 in damages to a former Orange County sheriff’s deputy who alleged that department supervisors sexually harassed her during her 12-year career.
Kimberly McClure, a former South County bike patrol officer, sued the department after a supervisor vandalized a photograph of her displayed at a Mission Viejo mall.
During the one-month trial, McClure claimed that the photograph incident along with several others amounted to a pattern of sexual harassment.
She also alleged that she had been passed over for promotion because of discriminatory practices at the department.
The jury found that McClure had not been the victim of discrimination or retaliation but awarded her $43,000 in emotional distress damages stemming from the sexual harassment. McClure was also awarded $157,000 in past wages.
McClure, who left the department in 1997, claimed victory in the case and urged other women to come forward in a department where she said harassment is commonplace. Sheriff’s officials strongly denied the allegations.
“This administration does not tolerate any sort of discrimination or harassment from any of its employees,” Sheriff’s Department spokesman Steve Doan said.
“Any behavior of that sort would be firmly dealt with. That sort of behavior is just not acceptable in a professional organization like ours.”
McClure’s attorneys said they will ask the judge to order the county to pay attorneys’ fees estimated at $600,000.
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