Excerpts from Fox32chicago.com:
Three years ago, a female firefighter filed a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment in Country Club Hills, including firefighters watching porn. Next week, that lawsuit goes to trial at the Daley Center.
Dena Lewis has been a Country Club Hills firefighter since 1998, but she’s been on paid leave for the past three years after filing a discrimination and retaliation lawsuit against the village. She says she was passed over for a promotion after she complained about firefighters watching porn in the firehouse, which she says was epidemic.
Initially, the Country Club Hills Fire Department denied it was even happening. But when Lewis’ lawyer deposed firefighters under oath, they told the truth.
The village has been sanctioned by the court for destroying evidence before Lewis’ legal team could look at the computers.
“They ran what’s called disc cleanup, disc wipe to try to wipe out the internet history and the evidence,” said attorney Dana Kurtz.
Records show three firefighters were suspended last fall for watching porn at the firehouse. But Lewis’ lawyer says the village refuses to confirm whether any disciplinary action was ever taken.
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