NORWALK SHERIFF'S SERGEANT WINS SEXUAL HARRASSMENT CASE

Pasadena, CA (February 5, 2011) – Sgt. Tera White says from the moment she began working at the Norwalk Sheriff's Station, her assigned mentor Lt. Patrick Valdez started sexually harassing her. It started with him scolding her for not calling him on his private cell phone when they were off duty. Then he would touch her arm and face affectionately. Each time White walked away. Valdez often told her he had the "juice" to get her promoted or not, and that all she had to do was "cooperate" with him.

From July of 2005 through 2008 White endured Valdez's constant advances. He would even drive by her home, and ask her to come outside for sexual activity. Once at a Christmas Party with his wife nearby Valdez asked White to go with him to his hotel room for ten minutes. When White reminded him his wife wouldn't be happy about that Valdez told her his wife would kill White, and not him. Valdez spoke to White in sexually explicit terms at least once a week, at times referring to the length of his "member," telling her about "sexy" dreams he had about her, and wondering if she would ever kiss him back after pinning her against her desk and kissing her forcibly on the lips.

Sgt. Tera White filed complaints up through the chain of command, and requested transfers, but was denied each time. She also took exams for promotion, but each time the position was given to less qualified deputies. When Valdez was promoted to Operations he told White she was "going nowhere" as long as she refused his advances. White was eventually transferred to the Sheriff's Department's Star Center in Whittier, saying the job involved answering phones and other receptionist-type duties normally handled by interns.

The case went to trial and on Tuesday, Jurors decided Sgt. White should receive $211,700 in damages plus attorney's fees. Attorneys with the California Legal Team worked to get White the justice she deserved after enduring sexual harassment for years at the hands of a colleague. Attorneys Okorie Okorocha, Timothy Sotille, and Michael Baltaxe fought against the numerous upper level sheriff's deputies who took the stand against White, and ultimately the Jury found in White's favor. For interviews contact Okorie Okorocha at (310) 871-3217 or okorie@gmail.com.

About California Legal Team: Every major newspaper in the United States has covered a case represented by the The California Legal Team in Pasadena, CA has been. The firm is led by Okorie Okorocha who along with his Juris Doctorate, holds a Doctorate in Law DUI and a Bachelor's Degree in Biology. He's been featured on national and local TV outlets. Here's the link to his interview on CBS 2 Los Angeles during an undercover investigation about city workers caught on tape drinking and driving. The California Legal Team works with clients from San Diego to San Francisco and across the nation on cases involving Sexual Harassment, DUI, Family Law and Business Law. CLT has offices in Pasadena, Beverly Hills, and Newport Beach California. For more information on CLT visit www.casehelp.com or www.workersprotection.com
Okorie "Dr. DUI" Okorocha

Contact:
Okorie Okorocha
(310) 871-3217
okorie@gmail.com