LA Firefighter Wins $6.2M in Lawsuit

by Actual News Geezer | July 4, 2007 at 01:36 pm

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Someone wanted Brenda Lee out of the LA Fire Department so much they put urine in her mouthwash at the fire hall she was working at. The idiots who did it probably did not like the fact she was black and lesbian.

But their harrassment has resulted in taxpayers having to shell out $6.2 million in damages. The decision just came out minutes ago.

Tuesday's jury payout was the largest in a string of recent settlements of cases alleging discrimination and retaliation against women and minorities within the Fire Department.

Judge Michael L. Stern ordered the panel back to court Thursday for a second phase of the trial involving possible punitive damages against Lee's former supervisor, Capt. Christopher Hare.

But Lee was not the only one to suffer. Another firefighter who had come to her aid was
also subject to firehall justice.

In April, a jury awarded $1.7 million to Lewis Bressler, who claimed he was forced to retire for backing Lee in her claims of discrimination. Firefighter Gary Mellinger, who alleged the department retaliated against him after he helped Lee, settled with the city for $350,000 after a jury found in his favor.

This story is reminiscent of the saga of a Richmond, Canada female firefighter, Karen White, as she tried to get remedies for the sexual harrassment she faced:

Karen White's allegations are contained in an affidavit filed in B.C. Supreme Court Tuesday in support of firefighter Jeanette Moznik, who is suing the City of Richmond, the fire department and a number of individuals for repeated harassment.

White worked as a firefighter from 1995 to 2004. She quit because of "systemic harassment and discrimination" within the department, states the affidavit.

White describes an environment in which pornographic magazines were left around the fire hall and porn films were shown from satellite TV.

She also claims she was referred to as a "f_ bitch" and received threatening calls at home.

"I was physically threatened by a firefighter on a water rescue exercise when he said,'Geez, Karen, I hope you don't have any trouble out there today,' and had a grin on his face."