Jury Rejects Former Police Dispatcher's Sex Harassment Claim

A jury on Tuesday rejected the claims of a former dispatcher who accused state police of sexual harassment for allegedly discussing sex on the job and using inappropriate gestures. Nancy Drew Suders' case had reached the U.S. Supreme Court last year, which ruled 8-1 that she could sue under federal civil rights law. But the high court also made it more difficult for her to prove her case, compared with someone fired under similar circumstances.

X

Thank you for sharing!

Your article was successfully shared with the contacts you provided.
A jury on Tuesday rejected the claims of a former dispatcher who accused state police of sexual harassment for allegedly discussing sex on the job and using inappropriate gestures. Nancy Drew Suders, 61, had alleged that she was harassed by supervising troopers at the police station in McConnellsburg, Pa., where she worked for five months in 1998. She said the environment became so unpleasant she had to quit the $13-an-hour job. State police argued Suders panicked and exaggerated events after realizing she could not handle the job. Senior Deputy Attorney General Sarah C. Yerger called her a “fish out of water” who sometimes was late for work, became overwhelmed easily and lacked prior experience that would have prepared her for a dispatcher’s duties. Suders alleged male troopers discussed genital piercing, bestiality and teaching daughters oral sex. She testified last week that a corporal repeatedly acted out a professional wrestler’s move by grabbing his crotch and yelling “suck it.” Jurors “didn’t spend eight hours a day with those policemen for five months. I’m the one that spent eight hours a day with that bunch,” Suders said later outside the federal building in Harrisburg. Suders’ attorney, Don Bailey, questioned the state’s allegations about Suders’ dispatching skills. “These allegations about her not being competent, they’re not really relevant to the issue of whether there was sexual misconduct,” Bailey said after the verdict. Last year, Suders’ case reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled 8-1 that she could sue under federal civil rights law. But the high court also made it more difficult to prove her case than someone fired under similar circumstances. Suders quit while under investigation for stealing her own performance examination, but she was never charged. After resigning from the state police, she returned to her previous job as a Fulton County deputy sheriff. Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Want to continue reading?
Become a Free ALM Digital Reader.

Benefits of a Digital Membership:

  • Free access to 3 articles* every 30 days
  • Access to the entire ALM network of websites
  • Unlimited access to the ALM suite of newsletters
  • Build custom alerts on any search topic of your choosing
  • Search by a wide range of topics

*May exclude premium content
Already have an account?

Trending Stories

 

Featured Product

Global Briefing

A weekly, curated selection of our international content from around the globe, across the business of law, in-house, regulatory, technology and more, with expert insights from our senior editors.

Learn More

More from ALM

 

ALM Legal Publication Newsletters

Sign Up Today and Never Miss Another Story.

As part of your digital membership, you can sign up for an unlimited number of a wide range of complimentary newsletters. Visit your My Account page to make your selections. Get the timely legal news and critical analysis you cannot afford to miss. Tailored just for you. In your inbox. Every day.

Privacy Policy

About Us / Contact Us / Site Map / Advertise With Us/ Customer Service / Terms of Service/ FAQ / Privacy Policy

Publications

Law Topics

Rankings

More

Law.com

Copyright © 2020 ALM Media Properties, LLC. All Rights Reserved.