La Vergne sexual harassment case over fired police officer reaches $500K settlement
The La Vergne government accepted a $500,000 settlement in a federal sexual harassment lawsuit from previously fired police officer Maegan Hall, who filed the suit, Mayor Jason Cole confirmed Thursday.
The La Vergne Board of Mayor and Aldermen met on Wednesday on the court issue and agreed to the settlement reached through the city's liability insurance provider, PEP, Cole said.
"No tax dollars were used in this settlement," Cole said.
Hall had representation from Nashville attorneys Wesley Clark, Frank Ross Brazil and Sarah Ann Mansfield.
"This settlement is victory for Maegan Hall and for women in male-dominated workplaces everywhere," Clark said Thursday. "The government cannot promote a sexually hostile work environment and get away with it."
Hall's sexual harassment complaint: La Vergne police chief 'promoted this environment'
The city provided the following statement about the settlement:
"The La Vergne Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted (Wednesday) to authorize the mayor to sign a settlement agreement between the city of La Vergne and former police officer Maegan Hall. The agreement was negotiated between the attorneys representing the city and Hall. The city's insurance provider will pay the sum of $500,000 to Hall as a gross settlement, which includes court costs, attorneys fees and expenses. The city denies any admission of liability, and no taxpayer funds will be spent to settle this lawsuit."
Hall filed her lawsuit after the mayor fired her and four other officers January 2023 following the city's investigation that accused them of sexual misconduct. The other previously fired officers including Sgt. Henry, Ty McGowan, Sgt. Lewis Powell, Detective Seneca Shields and patrol officer Juan Lugo‐Perez.
The city still faces wrongful termination lawsuits from McGowan and Powell, the mayor said.
Cole said any firing decisions by the mayor are based on recommendations from department heads, the city's Human Resources director, city administrators and city attorney.
The La Vergne Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted 3-1 to accept the settlement with Hall. Alderman Dennis Waldron, a former mayor who lost his seat to Cole, opposed. Cole said he typically only votes to break ties and abstained from joining the three in the majority: Vice Mayor Steve Noe, and Aldermen Carol Haas and Kara Hobbs.
Sexual misconduct investigation: Mayor fires 5 La Vergne police officers, suspends 3
Hall's complaint accuses fired police chief of sexual harassment
The city investigation also led to Cole firing former La Vergne Chief Burrel “Chip” Davis. The city hired Nashville attorney Thomas H. Lee to investigate the chief.
"Chief Davis was aware of inappropriate sexual activity between officers, including superior officers and subordinates, as well as the shockingly widespread sharing within his department of nude photos and videos of female officers," Lee said in his investigation report dated Feb. 6, 2023.
Hall's lawsuit also accused the fired chief of the following harassment:
"Asking Ms. Hall to dance for him in his office;"
"Stating that he would harass Ms. Hall and make it fun;"
"Asking her (in a manner with sexually suggestive overtones) whether she preferred dark, white or milk chocolate;"
And describing her clothing as being "hot girl summer (expletive)."
The city conducted a national search to find a new police chief. By August 2023, Mayor Cole offered the police chief job to finalist Christopher Moew, who previously served as police captain in Milwaukee before accepting his job to oversee the La Vergne Police Department.
Investigation: La Vergne Police 'Chief Davis was aware of inappropriate sexual activity'
Hall's complaint accuses sergeants of telling her to lie about her health
Hall had also filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
In addition to the harassment accusations, Hall's complaint accuses Sgt. McGowan of telling her to “lie about her history with drinking and mental illness.”
“This enabled Sergeant McGowan and others to place a young, vulnerable woman within the LPD and subject her to sexual coercion,” the complaint said.
Hall’s complaint said she also told Powell about her “anxiety, depression, and self-mutilation.”
“Sgt. Powell advised Ms. Hall to lie about the state of her mental illness in order to remain employed,” the complaint said.
“Chief Davis also perceived Ms. Hall as having depression and anxiety, but instead of appropriately addressing her needs and safety, deliberately maintained her in her vulnerable position as a sexual object until public awareness of the LPD’s conduct became inevitable," Hall's complaint said.
The EEOC complaint said Hall faced being interviewed about the sexual harassment issues by Chief Davis and La Vergne Human Resources Director Andrew Patton.
“Investigator Patton and Chief Davis (who himself directly sexually harassed Ms. Hall) intentionally omitted Ms. Hall’s allegations of sexual harassment from the investigatory report of these events,” the EEOC complaint said. “They omitted these allegations in order to cast Ms. Hall as a perpetrator and not a victim, and to protect the City of La Vergne and the Chief of Police from liability for harassment and discrimination.”
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This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: La Vergne agrees to 500K settlement in police sexual harassment case
