Fired Fresno State women's coach wins $19M in sex-discrimination lawsuit

[sportschick]

IIRC, this is the second sex-discrimination lawsuit Fresno's lost recently.

Fired Fresno State coach wins $19M in sex-discrimination lawsuit

FRESNO, Calif. — A former Fresno State women’s basketball coach was awarded $19.1 million Thursday in a sexual discrimination lawsuit that alleged she was fired because she advocated for women’s rights.

The university argued Stacy Johnson-Klein was fired because she was dishonest, potentially dangerous and abusive to her players and assistant coaches.

Johnson-Klein told the Fresno Bee the jury’s unanimous verdict was a victory for women in general and proof the legal system works.

“It’s long, it’s hard, it’s not for the weak of heart,” Johnson-Klein said outside court. “But it works, and I’m just very thankful it worked today.”

After an eight-week trial, jurors deliberated about four hours Thursday before returning their verdict.

 

[BigSleeper]

I know nothing of the details of the case, so I can't make an objective comment on the decision. But $19.1 million? Wow.

 

[Point of Order]

I think double or treble damages are usually available to plaintiffs in federal discrimination suits.

 

[sportschick]

I think some of those are punitive damages as well, which are designed to punish the group that's found to be doing something wrong.

 

[Sam Mills 51]

Any school foolish enough to glorify Jerry Tarkanian deserves this fate.

(Yes, I know Tark had nothing to do with this one, but still ... )

 

[Gold]

A neighbor of mine is on a faculty committee for athletics at a Cal State college, and he told me about this.

My guess is the number will probably get knocked down on appeal.

What I wish is that Jim Dolan and Isiah Thomas had to pay this, just to make them hurt a little more. I realize that won't happen, but the thought brings a smile to my face.

 

[sportschick]

From the latest AP story. This might help explain why the judgment was so large.

Thursday’s verdict was the second judgment against Fresno State in a sexual discrimination lawsuit this year.

In July, a jury awarded former volleyball coach Lindy Vivas $5.85 million — which a judge later reduced to $4.52 million — in a lawsuit claiming she was fired because of her advocacy for gender equity and her perceived sexual orientation.

Vivas was fired in 2004, two years after coaching her team to its best season in history.
University officials had argued Vivas was fired because she didn’t meet performance goals and ran a team that often played in empty arenas.

 

[JRoyal]

The Fresno Bee said there was a third case that was settled out of court earlier this year for $2-3 million too.

 

[Tom Petty]

is she hot?

 

[Flip Wilson]

is she hot?

 

[Tom Petty]

is she hot?

bag it.

 

[joe king]

There are better shots than that. Actually, she's pretty darn attractive.

 

[Starman]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/03/09/SPGB5BMLLM1.DTL

If 1/10th of the story is true, Johnson-Klein not only shouldn't collect a cent, she should be in jail.

 

[Oz]

This photo cracked me up ...

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?f=/c/a/2005/03/09/SPGB5BMLLM1.DTL&o=0

 

[sportschick]

This photo cracked me up ...

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?f=/c/a/2005/03/09/SPGB5BMLLM1.DTL&o=0

She stole Stan's favorite toys and sewed them into a cape. . . good lord.

 

[outofplace]

From the latest AP story. This might help explain why the judgment was so large.

Thursday’s verdict was the second judgment against Fresno State in a sexual discrimination lawsuit this year.

In July, a jury awarded former volleyball coach Lindy Vivas $5.85 million — which a judge later reduced to $4.52 million — in a lawsuit claiming she was fired because of her advocacy for gender equity and her perceived sexual orientation.

Vivas was fired in 2004, two years after coaching her team to its best season in history.
University officials had argued Vivas was fired because she didn’t meet performance goals and ran a team that often played in empty arenas.

A volleyball coach fired for an empty arena? Hell, that could put about 80 percent of the coaches in the country out of a job.

 

[finishthehat]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/03/09/SPGB5BMLLM1.DTL

If 1/10th of the story is true, Johnson-Klein not only shouldn't collect a cent, she should be in jail.

Assistant coaches named Calamity McEntire and Drew Champagne?

It sounds like one of those kitschy stage melodramas where you hiss the villains and throw popcorn at them.

 

[micropolitan guy]

Fresno State probably won't pay anything, as the damages will be covered through the CSU state system of higher education's risk-management insurance pool, much as a player's medical expenses are covered in case of a catastrophic injury.

Still, a black eye for the school, and another head-scratcher for thsse who wonder about California juries.

 

[Alma]

I know enough about this situation to know this: This case is a lesson in HR101...there are right ways to get rid of people, and wrong ways. Fresno State should have known the kind of person they were dealing with. She wasn't just going to go away.

 

[Tom Petty]

Fresno State probably won't pay anything, as the damages will be covered through the CSU state system of higher education's risk-management insurance pool, much as a player's medical expenses are covered in case of a catastrophic injury.

Still, a black eye for the school, and another head-scratcher for thsse who wonder about California juries.

the thing about california juries you ask? it's simple: every one of them is comprised by californians.

and that explains plenty.