Mistrial declared in lawsuit by straight firefighters required to be in Gay Pride Parade
“[A] complete and total victory for our fire department…. That’s what this was about. This was about greed. This was about getting money in their pockets.”
San Diego City Attorney Mike Aguirre who was defending the decision by Fire Chief Tracy Jarman, who is a lesbian, to require firefighters to participate in the city’s Gay Pride Parade by driving their firetruck through the 3-hour event as part of their general public relations duties. The firefighters sued for $4 million, saying they were subjected to ”a sexually licentious event, where raucous and lewd behavior, conduct and dress is permitted,” and they say they needed therapy sessions as result of sexual harassment. (LA Times) Though most of the jurors were apparently on the firefighters’ side, the mistrial was declared after they became deadlocked 8-4. A secondary lawsuit complaining about a alleged retaliatory reprimand related to a fighter’s complaint was nearly dismissed, 11-1. (San Diego Union Tribune)
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