We represent a group of current and former Correctional Officers and Security Techs for the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office. The case regards sexual harassment by inmates in the DeKalb County Jail. We have filed a civil case in federal court: Strozier, et al. v. Maddox, 1:22-cv-03342-WMR-CMS. Please click here for a copy of the complaint.
Attorney James Radford and client Ebony Boswell recently discussed the case on “Closer Look with Rose Scott” 0n 90.1 WABE. Click here to read the article and listen to the interview here.
The full press release regarding the case is below:
August 22, 2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
On Friday, August 19, 2022, the law firm of Radford & Keebaugh, LLC filed a Complaint in federal court on behalf of six current and former female employees of the DeKalb County Jail. The lawsuit was filed against Melody Maddox, in her official capacity as the Sheriff of DeKalb County, Georgia, under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.
Plaintiffs are current and former correctional officers with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office (DKSO). The plaintiffs allege that they have been subjected to a sexually hostile work environment due to DKSO’s failure to address an endemic, well-known culture of sexual harassment of female staff by inmates. According to the lawsuit, the plaintiffs made numerous complaints to command staff of the DKSO, including Sheriff Maddox, of the dangerous and sexually hostile work environment at the Jail. Specifically, they raised concerns about inmates “popping out” of their cells on a regular basis due to compromised cell door locks, inmates masturbating within close proximity of female employees, and inmates exposing themselves to female employees in communal areas.
The plaintiffs allege that they repeatedly voiced their concerns to command staff and followed protocol, such as completing disciplinary citations when appropriate. However, DKSO has failed to take corrective action and inmates continued to threaten and harass female employees. In fact, several of the plaintiffs allege that members of the command staff stated they did not view fixing cell locks as a priority when approached about this critical issue.
The Plaintiffs are seeking damages, in addition to injunctive relief to require DKSO to take reasonable measures to protect staff from a sexually hostile working environment.
For questions and/or a copy of the lawsuit, please contact Attorney James Radford (james@decaturlegal.com) or Zachary Panter (zachary@decaturlegal.com).