Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyer Blog

A current lieutenant with the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department has filed a civil lawsuit against the agency, alleging sexual harassment, sexual discrimination and retaliation.

Our Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyers are representing the lieutenant, who was subjected to severe and prolonged harassment by her former supervisor. After four years of trying to ignore, deflect and tell him in no uncertain terms his advances weren't welcome, she filed a formal complaint.

The conduct of Commander Joey Fennell was in clear and direct violation of California's Fair Employment Housing Act, which holds that employers have a responsibility not only to prevent sexual harassment, but to ensure complainants aren't subjected to retaliation as a result of their complaint, which is a protected act.

The lieutenant is suing not only the sheriff's department, but the county of Los Angeles, as well as the individual supervisor, Commander Fennell, who subjected her to this crass and illegal treatment. She had worked for the agency for four years. During that time, she was harassed, stalked, threatened and retaliated against by her boss, who was reportedly relentless.

Interestingly, the Sheriff's Department has a long history of such behavior, as evidenced by two previous lawsuits - Bowman v. County of Los Angeles and White v. County of Los Angeles. Yet it seems the sheriff's department turned a blind eye to this behavior, as he continues to remain on the job.

In vulgar terms, the supervisor would demand sexual favors from the victim, saying that her cooperation would make her work life "better for her." When she did not concede to his demands, he allegedly did in fact make life worse for her. Her refusals resulted in something he termed, "freeway therapy," which meant she was forced to work as far away from her home as possible. Even then, he tried on numerous occasions to coerce her into spending time with him.

This was an individual who had the authority and discretion with regard to the plaintiff's hiring, transfer, promotion, assignment, reward, discipline or discharge. He also was responsible for oversight of grievances and the details of her daily work.

The defendant reportedly threatened the lieutenant with loss of future promotions if she ever revealed the extent of his sexually explicit communication with her, saying that his wife would, "wring his neck" if she ever learned of it.

Not only did the plaintiff suffer economic losses in terms of her job, but she has suffered - and continues to suffer - from severe anxiety, depression, humiliation, mental anguish and even physical injury, some of which has cost her in terms of medical expenses. She is seeking compensatory, as well as punitive, damages for this infliction of harm.

DFEH holds that employees in the state of California have a right to work in an environment free of:

• Unwanted sexual advances;


• Offers of employment benefits in exchange for sexual behavior;


• Threats of reprisal for negative responses to sexual advances;


• Leering, sexual gestures, display of sexual objects, cartoons, posters or pictures;


• Derogatory epithets, slurs or jokes;


• Graphic verbal commentaries about a person's body or the use of sexually degrading, obscene or suggestive words to describe an individual in any communications;


• Physical touching and/or aggression, including blocking or impeding movements.