He once called 88 times in a two-hour period. He repeatedly drove past her house in his black BMW. He sent rambling emails and countless text messages.A federal jury sided with the Kendallville water superintendent Thursday against a former employee in a religious discrimination case.
After about three hours of deliberation, the four-woman, eight-man jury ruled in favor of the city of Kendallville and Water Department Superintendent Scottie Mosley.
The city was sued by former water department employee Greg Rice, who claimed he had been the victim of religious discrimination.
Rice said Mosley, the pastor of a church, posted religious slogans in the workplace, made disparaging remarks about Rice, his family and his private life – calling him a “whoremonger” – and telling Rice’s fiancée that Rice had problems in the past with promiscuity.
Rice was fired in November 2006 for what Mosley determined was insubordination, saying his employee argued with a member of the city clerk’s office staff and hung up on Mosley during a telephone conversation.
Mosley flatly denied the allegations of religious discrimination, instead painting a picture of an employee who had troubles with attendance and job performance in the years before his termination.
After the verdict, Kendallville Mayor Suzanne Handshoe expressed relief.
“I feel fortunate to live in a country that allows both sides to be heard,” she said.
The city plans to have more frequent meetings for employees so they can better understand how to report ways in which they may feel uncomfortable in the workplace, she said.
Mosley was also relieved, offering praise for the hard work of defense attorneys and the work of the jury.
“The judicial system worked,” he said.
During the course of the case, both sides met in mediation and a settlement was offered to Rice, Handshoe said, merely to save money for the city rather than continue with the expense of litigation and in “no way” indicated any admission of wrongdoing.
