A jury found yesterday that a Fairfax County police lieutenant retaliated against a female civilian employee

The Washington Post



February 25, 1995, Saturday, Final Edition


Jury Declines Award For Officer Who Wins Suit


SECTION: Metro; B02, AROUND THE REGION, ME


LENGTH: 252 words


A jury found yesterday that a Fairfax County police lieutenant retaliated against a female civilian employee who had complained about sexual harassment at work, but declined to award the woman any money.


Andrea Moss, 34, a communication aide assigned to the department's Franconia station, said she felt vindicated by the ruling in her lawsuit against the county and Lt. Larry Jackson.


The verdict came after a three-day trial in U.S. District Court in Alexandria.


Moss claimed that Jackson had harassed her because she would not strike up a personal relationship with him. Among other things, she testified that he made up a list of phony disciplinary charges against her in February 1993 after learning she had filed an internal complaint against him.


Jackson denied the allegations. Before the case went to the jury, Judge Leonie M. Brinkema dismissed a claim of sexual harassment, saying evidence was lacking. The judge also dismissed the county and Police Chief Michael W. Young as defendants, leaving only Jackson's fate to the jury.


The lawsuit initially sought $ 1 million in damages on behalf of Moss and three female police officers who also alleged that Jackson harassed them. The charges made by the other women, who alleged abuses dating to 1982, were dropped from the case after Brinkema ruled their complaints were not timely filed.


Jurors found that Jackson retaliated after Moss filed her internal complaint and said that by doing so, he violated her right to free speech.