Claiming they worked in a “hostile, sexually-charged work environment,” three female employees of former Murray County chief magistrate Bryant Cochran have filed Equal Opportunity Employment Commission complaints, according to their attorneys.
Chattanooga-based attorney Stuart F. James said court clerk Virginia Rector and employees Yesenia Galvan and Sonia Petty worked for several years with Cochran. They are still employed in the office. The women declined to comment because the case is pending.
“In harassment cases where someone is a dominating figure, what (the alleged perpetrators) normally do is create an environment of fear,” James said. “They were afraid. They were suppressed. He dominated them, and they were afraid to speak out. What changed was his resignation.”
Cochran resigned in mid-August, admitting he had pre-signed 12 warrants but denied issuing them.
He was under investigation by the Judicial Qualifications Commission, a state watchdog agency for judges, that he sexually solicited Angela Garmley, who sought a warrant. He has denied the claims.
Page A. Pate, Cochran’s attorney, denied the claims of a “sexually-charged” work environment too.
“It’s not true,” he said. “These folks have worked with Judge Cochran for eight-plus years, and there never was any indication (of anything inappropriate). This is coming out of nowhere.”
McCracken Poston, Garmley’s attorney who is also involved in the EEOC complaints, said the complaints were filed last week. James said he will ask the EEOC for an immediate right to sue because he believes the typical six months it takes to investigate a claim would allow the case to get “stale.” He said it’s in the best interest of his clients for the claims to coincide with investigations by the GBI and FBI into other issues Cochran has been accused of, including pre-signing warrants and being involved in planting drugs on Garmley’s vehicle. Cochran has denied any involvement in Garmley’s arrest and eventual exoneration on a possession of methamphetamine charge.
Pate said he is troubled by James’ decision to ask for a preliminary right to sue instead of allowing the EEOC to conduct its usual investigation.
“Why don’t we let the EEOC do their job and investigate it, see if there are really any facts to support it?” Pate said.
James said that could take too much time. It will likely take three to six weeks to receive an initial response on the claim, he said. He said he asked for a preliminary right to sue when Murray County employee Charlene Miles sued on claims that then-sole commissioner David Ridley verbally and physically sexually harassed her. The case was eventually settled out of court.
“I’m beginning to believe there may be a whole county government culture down there because this is so strikingly similar to what happened with David Ridley,” James said.
Poston said anyone who comes forward with information about the work environment under Cochran is protected.
“It’s very important they not be bothered,” he added of the women who already filed the complaints. “It was a hostile work environment with inappropriate sexual overtones utilized in the workplace. There’s a lot more, but that’s all I’m authorized to say at this point.”
Local News
September 11, 2012
More complaints filed against Cochran
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