Category Archives: Civil Rights

Assault, Civil Rights, Class Action, Negligence, Tort Reform

School Sued After 25 Years of Sex Abuse Accusations

A bit over 25 years ago, children at the elite Poly Prep Country Day School in Brooklyn were allegedly sexually abused by the football coach, Philip Foglietta. Back in August, 10 alumni and 2 summer camp students sued the school. While the group could not file under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations, Judge Frederic Block allowed two individuals to move forward with the RICO claim, as they had donated money to the school. 11 of the plaintiffs were also allowed to pursue the case for negligence and Title IX sexual abuse claims.

Though Foglietta died in 1998, the case claims that the abuse lasted over a 20 year period, from 1966 to 1986. While accusations were made, threats were made to conceal, refutations made by the former headmaster William Williams, and none of the accusations before 1991 (the year Foglietta retired) were ever found.

While Poly Prep did ask for dismissal of the case, it continues on past three-year statute of limitations. The school believes that the case “will ultimately be dismissed following a hearing,” but has also pursued settlements with the plaintiffs.

Breach of Contract, Civil Rights, Defamation, Employment

Gay Auditor Sues Against Library of Congress

Last August, Peter TerVeer, a talented gay former auditor for the Library of Congress’s Inspector’s General Office, filed suit against his old boss, John Mech, harassed him with religious homophobia and eventually got TerVeer fired.

Though originally close friends, the two grew apart after Mech’s daughter saw TerVeer liking Two Dads.us Facebook page. After that, the religious lectures began, and TerVeer complained to the Equal Employment Opportunity office and Mech’s supervisor Nicholas Christopher, though to little avail. Mech (with Christopher’s help) allegedly “continued to manufacture a negative paper trail” to downgrade TerVeer’s performance ratings. Advised to take an extended medical leave to deal with stress, he was ultimately fired for missing 37 consecutive work days though the library officials had signed off for disability time off.

The lawsuit claims discrimination based on “sex stereotyping” and violation of Title VII of the U.S. Civil Rights Act. Terveer wants his old job, back pay, compensatory and punitive damages for emotional distress, and an order restraining Mech.

Assault, Civil Rights, Electrocution

Attorney Sues for Stunning Twice

Florida attorney Carl Roland Hayes was shocked twice with a stun gun at a code enforcement hearing after slapping the officer escorting him from the meeting. According to Hayes, Donald Miller was in plain clothes and failed to identify himself, and the second shock happened when Hayes “lay face down on the ground—compliant and nonresistant.” Last September, he filed a suit against Miller for unspecified damages and legal fees.

Meanwhile, police claim that Hayes was significantly upset when addressing the board to a violation notice he received for installing nonconforming windows in his building. The force claims that the force was “reasonable and necessary” because Hayes struggled and “took a fighting stance.” After being handcuffed and cooperative, no force was used.