*Inglewood, CA — Martin & Martin LLP, attorneys for Melanie McDade – the former Assistant City Manager of Inglewood – have announced a hefty $65 million settlement demand against Mayor James Butts for sexual harassment and retaliation. Also named in the explosive lawsuit are the City of Inglewood, current Assistant City Manager Jose Cortes (previously Human Resources Director), and former City Manager Artie Fields.
Ms. McDade’s attorneys unveiled a trove of compelling evidence: emails and text messages authored by Mayor Butts himself, which detail the degrading demands and incessant harassment directed at McDade.
“The revelations in these communications will shock those who have blindly accepted the City’s mischaracterizations of our client’s claims,” said lead attorney Ernest Martin, Jr., of Martin & Martin LLP. Martin emphasized how these documents expose Butts’ abuse of power, demanding sexual favors and retaliating against McDade when she failed to comply.
Specifics in the complaint reveal particularly appalling instances of harassment. On one occasion, Butts demanded oral sex so persistently that it left McDade with painful carpet burns. Public degradation followed, with Butts requiring McDade to serve him food during Metro Board meetings, an indignity she alone faced among assistants.
The lawsuit implores the reader to reconsider the dismissal of McDade’s initial complaint filed in January 2021, which the City waved off as “unfounded” and “empty rhetoric.” Investigative journalism had echoed the City’s stance, further victimizing McDade. However, the unveiled text and email communications now cast a damning light on the veracity of her allegations.
The recount continued with McDade’s backstory: she met Butts during his 2010 mayoral campaign and entered a relationship built on deceptive promises. Once hired as Senior Assistant, McDade faced continuous demands for demeaning sexual performances. Her attempts to end the relationship led to retaliatory measures, including the stripping of her job duties and her eventual termination. Despite McDade’s efforts to distance herself, Butts pursued her relentlessly, appearing at her home uninvited and leveraging his influence to obstruct her health benefits and future employment opportunities.
The $65 million settlement figure seeks to address lost income, emotional distress, punitive damages, and attorney fees.
“Our client endured the worst the Mayor could throw at her, and the City was his enabler,” Martin said. “She has stood strong in the face of unyielding efforts—first to harass and control her, later to undermine her and diminish her character. For years, many people in power and the media dismissed her story. But she refuses to give in, and ultimately, it is Butts’ own words that will be his undoing, as they prove irrefutably that she has been telling the truth all along.”
This case not only spotlights the systemic issues within the City of Inglewood but also underscores the necessity of holding those in power accountable for exploitative and retaliatory behavior. The unfolding developments will undoubtedly capture the attention of the public and those advocating for justice and transparency in public office.
source: imageelevators.com
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