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$185,000 Settlement In Ohio Deceased's Estate For Racial Discrimination And Retaliatory Termination

Ohio State Resident Sheila Smoot, acting as administratrix of her deceased husband Robert's estate, brought suit for racial discrimination and retaliatory termination in 2006 against the Hillcrest Training Center (HTC) juvenile facility. The suit settled for $185,000.

Robert Smoot was a deputy superintendent at the HTC juvenile detention center for 22
years. The HTC is ran by the Hamilton County Juvenile Court. Smoot was the senior ranking African American employee. He filed a claim in 2002 with the Equal Employment OpportunityCommission (EEOC) after receiving a smaller raise than his white co workers in 2001. Upon approval to sue he was terminated and subsequently died of heart failure in 2003. His wife brought suit on his behalf claiming wrongful termination,,harassment, and racial discrimination. The presiding judge who fired him claimed no knowledge of his EEOC claim and contended that he was terminated due to recent insubordination at a meeting. The defendants offered $5,000 to settle.

Following an Ohio Court of Common Pleas two hour jury verdict for $135,000 the defendants agreed to a settlement of $185,000. See: Smoot v. Hillcrest Training Center, Case No. A0405908 (Ohio Ct. Cm. Pleas Nov. 2, 2006).

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Related legal case

Smoot v. Hillcrest Training Center