Fired prosecutor wins $3 million lawsuit
SEATTLE (AP) - After 11 days of testimony, a King County jury has ruled that Pierce County owes fired deputy prosecutor Barbara Corey $3 million.
The jurors found the Pierce County prosecutor's office wrongfully terminated Corey and defamed her reputation in 2004. The jurors also found the office acted maliciously and with a reckless disregard for the truth in terminating its then-No. 3 in command.
The jury received the case Wednesday afternoon and delivered its verdict in a Seattle courtroom Friday morning.
Jurors found for Corey on all her claims totaling $3,075,170.
The jury award for Corey was $1.5 million for the damage to her reputation, $750,000 for noneconomic damages, $700,176 for economic damages related to the defamation and false light claims, $124,994 for loss of wages because of her wrongful termination
Corey now works as a criminal defense and appellate attorney in Pierce County.
John Miller and Sandra Bobrick, two private lawyers who represented the county in Corey's lawsuit, said they were evaluating the ruling and will explore their options, including an appeal.
Mike Panagiotu, longtime director of Pierce County's Risk Management and Insurance Department, said he couldn't recall the county losing an employment case by way of a jury's verdict. He's been with the county for 32 years.
Corey said she was grateful to the jury.
"I couldn't be happier and more thankful," she said. "I hope to put this behind me somehow."
Pierce County Prosecutor Gerald Horne said he was disappointed with the verdict, but said he still felt his firing of Corey was the right thing to do.
"I felt I did the best thing when I fired Barbara, the best thing for this office and for the community," he said. "This experience doesn't change that."
Horne was appointed prosecutor in 2000 and ran unopposed in 2002 and 2006.
Corey's lawyer, Jack Connelly, said Horne abused the power of his office to settle a "personal vendetta" with Corey and fired her without just cause.
"I am very pleased with (the verdict) and very proud of Barbara for taking this case to the jury," Connelly said.
The jurors found the Pierce County prosecutor's office wrongfully terminated Corey and defamed her reputation in 2004. The jurors also found the office acted maliciously and with a reckless disregard for the truth in terminating its then-No. 3 in command.
The jury received the case Wednesday afternoon and delivered its verdict in a Seattle courtroom Friday morning.
Jurors found for Corey on all her claims totaling $3,075,170.
The jury award for Corey was $1.5 million for the damage to her reputation, $750,000 for noneconomic damages, $700,176 for economic damages related to the defamation and false light claims, $124,994 for loss of wages because of her wrongful termination
Corey now works as a criminal defense and appellate attorney in Pierce County.
John Miller and Sandra Bobrick, two private lawyers who represented the county in Corey's lawsuit, said they were evaluating the ruling and will explore their options, including an appeal.
Mike Panagiotu, longtime director of Pierce County's Risk Management and Insurance Department, said he couldn't recall the county losing an employment case by way of a jury's verdict. He's been with the county for 32 years.
Corey said she was grateful to the jury.
"I couldn't be happier and more thankful," she said. "I hope to put this behind me somehow."
Pierce County Prosecutor Gerald Horne said he was disappointed with the verdict, but said he still felt his firing of Corey was the right thing to do.
"I felt I did the best thing when I fired Barbara, the best thing for this office and for the community," he said. "This experience doesn't change that."
Horne was appointed prosecutor in 2000 and ran unopposed in 2002 and 2006.
Corey's lawyer, Jack Connelly, said Horne abused the power of his office to settle a "personal vendetta" with Corey and fired her without just cause.
"I am very pleased with (the verdict) and very proud of Barbara for taking this case to the jury," Connelly said.