Ex-AGO lawyer sues Hutton for alleged harassment

An attorney formerly working for the Attorney General’s Office filed a lawsuit in federal court yesterday, accusing then chief prosecutor and now special assistant attorney general David Hutton of sexually harassing her.

Karen Linwood Severy also accused several attorneys at the Attorney General’s Office of retaliating against her, especially when she initiated administrative complaint of harassment in the workplace. She said Attorney General Pamela Brown refused to take action on her complaint against Hutton’s sexual advances and even retaliated against her by demoting her and terminating her employment.

In a 47-page complaint at the U.S. District Court, Severy’s lawyer, former Attorney General Robert Torres, elaborated on Hutton’s alleged sexual advances that began in September 2003, two months after Severy joined the AGO as narcotics prosecutor.

Torres impleaded Hutton in his official and personal capacity, the Attorney General’s Office, and still unnamed defendants in the lawsuit, asking the federal court to impose punitive damages to the maximum permitted by law on various causes of action.

Severy began working for the AGO on July 4, 2003, on a contract that was scheduled to end by July 3, 2005.

In the complaint, Torres said Hutton began seeking out Severy for advice on a personal problem. Hutton then allegedly escalated personal communications with Severy even though she tried to distance herself from him.

“During these episodes, Hutton made frequent, vulgar references to women and sexual matters, commented on the bodies of his female companions, and informed Severy about his desires to engage in sex with various female co-workers,” Torres said.

Torres said Hutton also frequently called her at home.

Torres said Severy did not immediately initiate a complaint against Hutton for fear of losing her job. Hutton allegedly changed his treatment of Severy as a respected colleague and began discrediting her, sometimes shouting at her in the presence of co-workers.

Despite this, Hutton allegedly continued telephoning Severy at home.

Torres said Severy met with Brown on Feb. 13, 2004, expressing her discomfort over Hutton’s alleged increasing requests for physical contact. Although Brown promised to look into the matter, Torres said she did nothing to alleviate Severy’s working condition, did not relieve or reprimand Hutton, and instead reprimanded Severy for her inability to get along with the then chief prosecutor.

“In response to Ms. Severy’s complaints about Hutton, Brown took reprisals against Ms. Severy. These reprisals included, but were not limited to, a salary reduction, demotion, and termination,” Torres said.

Brown allegedly retaliated against Severy for bringing up harassment complaints, directing Hutton to reassign the attorney to the Civil Division effective May 3, 2004 and reducing the amount of promised salary increase, among others.

Brown allegedly interfered with the discrimination complaint filed by Severy with the Office of Personnel Management, assigning assistant attorney general Edward Buckingham as the AGO’s Equal Employment Opportunity coordinator.

“Brown was well aware of Hutton’s propensities, knew about his treatment of female subordinate employees, and by turning a blind eye toward Hutton, facilitated it, approved it, and condoned it,” Torres said.

Severy’s termination by Brown became effective on June 15, 2004.

Before this, Severy filed a sex discrimination complaint with the EEOC on April 23, 2004. The EEOC issued a notice of right to sue to Severy on March 31, 2005.