Posted on 12/20/2005 4:08:51 AM PST by sportutegrl
Four white men fired by the Philadelphia School District have won a racial-discrimination lawsuit, and a federal jury awarded them nearly $3 million in damages. After Friday's verdict, Carl E. Singley, a prominent African American lawyer who represented the school district, exchanged words with some members of the all-white jury as they rode a courthouse elevator. He called them "crackers," four jurors said in interviews. Within 30 minutes, U.S. District Judge Harvey Bartle 3d brought Singley and five of the seven jurors in the case back into his courtroom. Singley, a former Temple Law School dean, promptly apologized. "What I did and said was inappropriate," Singley said, according to a transcript. "I should not have disrespected you, and I do apologize." Reached yesterday, Singley declined to comment. In a statement last night, the school district's chief executive officer, Paul Vallas, said he had not yet spoken with Singley about the elevator incident but planned to pursue the matter. "If the statement is true it is outrageous and hurtful to us all," Vallas said. The unusual post-verdict hearing came at the end of a two-week trial during which the four white men alleged that they were wrongfully fired from the district's purchasing department in 2003. They alleged reverse racial discrimination and said that the district's chief purchasing officer, Kimberly Sangster, retaliated when the men initially complained of discrimination. "What we stressed to the jury is that the law in America is that equal opportunity in employment applies to everyone," said lawyer Michael D. Homans, who represented the four plaintiffs with Lizanne V. Hoerst. "You can't discriminate against anyone based on race - white people, black people, Hispanics. Discrimination infected the decision-making of Kim Sangster."
(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...
No respect for law and order.
No respect for fellow citizens of ANY color.
It's a city out of control, much as D.C. was when they were run by Marion Barry.
Don't foget the guy on John Street's diveristy council who complained that too many city contracts were going to Jews.
Diversity is great so long as it's a diversity of John Street's friends and constituents.
Owl_Eagle
"You know, I'm going to start thanking
the woman who cleans the restroom in
the building I work in. I'm going to start
thinking of her as a human being"
Okay, they may have been wronged, but how to the tune of $3,000,000 were they damaged???
Your expectations are far too high for Philly.
It's a dumping ground for wasted potential.
Was this misspelled? Sim Gan..... (evil grin)
DB wrote:
Okay, they may have been wronged, but how to the tune of $3,000,000 were they damaged???
Divide by four, it's 750 K each, less attorney's fees. Not out of line at all. And I am sensitive to outrageous damages awards.
I don't like the settlement, either. I hope it gets reduced on appeal, but I think there was clear cut discrimination.
I should not have "disrespected" you.
Carl E. Singley, a prominent African American lawyer.
The problem in America today in a nutshell. You have a person who is said to be a prominent African American Lawyer who can't even speak correct english.
"Crackers" ~ LMAO ROTF PMP
"The Brothers and Sisters are in charge."
Another city I would not live in if they were giving away free housing. Along with Detroit,and New orleans. Oh wait a minute, if I whine, complain, and become a perpetual victim I would qualify for free government housing in all of those places. One thing has been made obvious over the years. It is not black city leadership that ruins big cities....it is black DEMOCRAT leadership that turns them into sewers.
Filthy Trial Lawyers, at the trough again.
Carl Singley is proof that we evolved from apes, but some have not quite evolved as fast as others.
When did "disrespect" become a verb outside of the 'hood? Uneducated fool!
I could not help but notice that The Philadelphia Inquirer made a point of publishing the juror's names and where they lived or worked . I would suspect that most if not all of them will be moving within the next year or so.
It is unprofessional conduct for a member of the bar (a lawyer) to act like a racist against jurors because he is angry that they did not let his client act like racists. Would you be asking the same question if it was a kkk trial?
Yup. After the trial is completed, the attorney, even if an obnoxious weenie, is just another Joe Citizen.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.