EMPLOYMENT LAW
Female workers who claimed judge fondled them awarded $3.2 million
On July 15, a jury awarded $3.2 million to three Brazoria County employees who claimed they were sexually harassed by a judge. Mikki Kalian, Estella Strawn and Rebecca Sirmans worked for the county’s juvenile probation department. They claimed Judge James Blackstock, who was chairman of the juvenile probation board, hugged, grabbed and fondled them. He also made sexually explicit remarks and emailed sexually explicit photos, they alleged. The county and the probation board settled for $135,000 before trial. Blackstock resigned in 2008 after pleading no-contest to charges of official oppression and assault by offensive and provocative physical contact. The jury award included $3 million in punitive damages.
