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Texas Woman Fired For Reporting Abuse Awarded $202,000
On July 14, 2004, a district court in Harris County, Texas, awarded
$202,000 to a woman who was fired for reporting a guard's abuse of a juvenile.
While imprisoned at the Harris County juvenile probation department's
Burnett Bayland Reception Center on November 6, 2002, a juvenile was
allegedly slammed on the concrete floor 5 or 6 times by an unnamed guard.
The juvenile--a 15-year-old boy--purportedly waited six days to report the
incident because he feared the building supervisor would retaliate by
extending his prison time. That same day (November 12), juvenile probation
case worker Cheryl Norris informed her boss of the boy's allegations. Her
boss told her to investigate.
Norris began interviewing other juveniles, but stopped when confronted by
the building supervisor. He told her that investigating the matter was his
responsibility because he supervised the guards, then reported her to the
building superintendent. Norris was fired five days later.
Norris, who had been employed by the department for 60 years, sued the
county for wrongful termination claiming that she was fired for reporting
abusive guards. The County contended Norris was fired for being disruptive,
insubordinate, and "failing to follow instructions."
A jury in the 270th Harris County District Court found that Norris was
wrongfully terminated for blowing the whistle on illegal behavior and
awarded her a total of $202,000: $70,000 for past lost wages, $22,000 in
past benefits, and $110,000 for emotional distress. An additional $15,000
was agreed to for attorney fees.
Norris was represented by Edward J. Hennessy of the Houston, Texas, law
firm Hennessy, Garnder & Barth. See: Norris v. Harris County, Harris County
District Court, 270th, Case no. 2003-01307.
Source: VerdictSearch Texas Reporter
$202,000 to a woman who was fired for reporting a guard's abuse of a juvenile.
While imprisoned at the Harris County juvenile probation department's
Burnett Bayland Reception Center on November 6, 2002, a juvenile was
allegedly slammed on the concrete floor 5 or 6 times by an unnamed guard.
The juvenile--a 15-year-old boy--purportedly waited six days to report the
incident because he feared the building supervisor would retaliate by
extending his prison time. That same day (November 12), juvenile probation
case worker Cheryl Norris informed her boss of the boy's allegations. Her
boss told her to investigate.
Norris began interviewing other juveniles, but stopped when confronted by
the building supervisor. He told her that investigating the matter was his
responsibility because he supervised the guards, then reported her to the
building superintendent. Norris was fired five days later.
Norris, who had been employed by the department for 60 years, sued the
county for wrongful termination claiming that she was fired for reporting
abusive guards. The County contended Norris was fired for being disruptive,
insubordinate, and "failing to follow instructions."
A jury in the 270th Harris County District Court found that Norris was
wrongfully terminated for blowing the whistle on illegal behavior and
awarded her a total of $202,000: $70,000 for past lost wages, $22,000 in
past benefits, and $110,000 for emotional distress. An additional $15,000
was agreed to for attorney fees.
Norris was represented by Edward J. Hennessy of the Houston, Texas, law
firm Hennessy, Garnder & Barth. See: Norris v. Harris County, Harris County
District Court, 270th, Case no. 2003-01307.
Source: VerdictSearch Texas Reporter
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Related legal case
Norris v. Harris County
| Year | 2004 |
|---|---|
| Cite | Harris County District Court, 270th, Case no. 2003 |
| Level | State Trial Court |
| Conclusion | Jury Verdict |
| Attorney Fees | 15000 |
| Damages | 202000 |
| Injunction Status | N/A |
no case text