Robinson v. Jackson State University & Dr. Fuller

U.S.D.C., Southern District of Mississippi, Northern Division

Cause No. 3:13-cv-00007-HTW-LRA

On Friday, January 9, 2015, a jury in the United States District Court in Jackson, Mississippi, returned a verdict in favor of Plaintiff Fredrick L. Robinson in the above-referenced matter. Mr. Robinson was awarded $7,100.00 in lost wages and $25,000.00 in emotional distress against Defendants Jackson State University and Dr. Vivian Fuller, jointly and severally. The jury also awarded Mr. Robinson $75,000.00 in punitive damages against Fuller.

The jury found Fuller, Athletic Director at JSU, fired Mr. Robinson, Director of Sports Medicine at JSU, in retaliation for Robinson’s participating in an EEOC investigation. The investigation involved a claim by Lolita Ward, a secretary in the athletic department, that Fuller had made sexual advances toward her. JSU and Fuller claimed the firing was due to a reorganization within the athletic department. Fuller denied knowing that Robinson had spoken to the EEOC, but testimony at trial showed that her attorneys were present during the EEOC’s interview of Robinson.

Attorneys for Plaintiff at trial were Jim Waide and Rachel Pierce Waide of Waide & Associates, P.A. Rogen K. Chhabra and Michael Saltaformaggio also represented Plaintiff in the case, but did not participate in the trial. Attorneys for Defendants were LaToya C. Merritt and Jason T. Marsh of Phelps Dunbar LLP. U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate presided over the nine-day trial.