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Judge accused of sexual harassment once helped women sue

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:40:00 +0000

Circuit Judge N. James Turner hasn't worked since April because several women have accused him of sexually harassing them at the Osceola County Courthouse. It's an issue with which he's extremely familiar: He spent much of his career suing companies on behalf of women who made sexual-harassment claims. He sued a theme park on behalf of a store clerk who claimed her boss put his hand up her dress in front of customers. He sued a restaurant chain for a woman whose job was to roll silverware in napkins and who complained that a manager-trainee touched her buttocks and thighs. He represented a cocktail waitress who claimed her boss made her bend over so he could look up her dress. The irony is not lost on Turner. He says the allegations against him by the women at the courthouse are false. "I've hugged women in the office as a friendly gesture, as an act of compassion," Turner, 64, said in an interview this month. "I may have, in that situation, kissed someone on the cheek. I may have put my hand on someone's shoulder … in a time of severe stress, but none of it was inappropriate." Turner, who lives in Orlando, is accused by the state agency that polices judges — the Judicial Qualifications Commission — of a laundry list of wrongdoing. Among the claims: running an unethical campaign for office, putting his feet on the bench during hearings and ordering an underage offender to hand over a piece of jewelry to cover court costs. But allegations about how he treated women at the courthouse will likely get a great deal of attention this week as the women are deposed, placed under oath and forced to answer questions by Turner's attorney, Barry Rigby. According to the formal charges against him, Turner hugged, kissed and massaged women at the courthouse. He also went to their homes and involved himself in their lives uninvited, the JQC alleges. The women include a 42-year-old Kissimmee deputy clerk of courts, who complained about Turner hugging and kissing her and coming to her home. But in defense pleadings, Rigby wrote that the judge was merely being a compassionate friend "and such actions were welcomed and appreciated." Prosecutors accuse him of improperly lending money to another woman, his then-secretary. Yes, Rigby said, the judge gave a loan to the 34-year-old single Orlando woman. She has two children, was facing a family emergency and asked for the money, he said. She also quit two months later, and, Rigby said, has never repaid it. She is now accusing Turner of, among other things, screaming at her in the office. That woman now works at the juvenile court on Michigan Street in Orlando. Those women are not identified in public JQC pleadings and would not discuss their allegations with the Orlando Sentinel, which has decided not to publish their names. Turner was elected circuit judge by voters in Orange and Osceola counties two years ago. Before that, he was a well-regarded Orlando attorney who specialized in employment discrimination and sexual-harassment cases. In 1994 and 1997, The Florida Bar Journal published articles he wrote about sexual harassment. His 1997 article was titled "The Perils of (Reporting and) Not Reporting Sexual Harassment." Turner had four secretaries, also called judicial assistants, in his first 16 months as a judge. Chief Circuit Judge Belvin Perry Jr. in April ordered him off the bench — where he now remains — without explanation. Photo: 9th Circuit Court of Florida More FloriDUH reports the Orlando Sentinel .

Infant found in hot car with passed-out parents

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:35:00 +0000

Someone called 911 on Sunday morning after seeing a woman driving a black Chevrolet Impala in Indian River County who appeared to be falling asleep. A deputy found the Impala with most of the windows up and a couple — Nicholas Roberts, 24, and Justina Sullivan, 20 — and child inside at a KOA campground. Sullivan was passed out. The 1-month-old infant, who appeared clammy, was hospitalized for dehydration, reports TCPalm.com. And no wonder Sullivan had looked like she was falling asleep at the wheel: Inside the Impala, deputies found 75 oxycodone pills, reports TCPalm.com. The couple, listed as homeless on affidavits, said they had lived in Fort Pierce but were evicted from their home Saturday. They were charged with child abuse and possession of a controlled substance, according to TCPalm.com. Photos: Nicholas Roberts, (l), and Justina Sullivan, (r) / TCPalm.com More FloriDUH

Florida wins $700 Million for Education

admin — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:11:53 +0000

Florida won $700 million for its schools in the U.S. Department of Education's Race to the Top competition. A big chunk of that money is expected in South Florida. What will the Miami-Dade and Broward districts do with the more than $100 million expected to flow into South Florida schools over the next four years? They'll start with new strategies to recruit, retain and reward effective teachers. They'll work to close the achievement gap and make sure more South Florida students go on to college. On Tuesday, Florida was named one of the big winners in the federal government's second round of the Race to the Top competition, landing $700 million for its public schools. The Miami-Dade district expects its share of the winnings to exceed $60 million. Broward stands to get about $45 million. ``Florida put together a fantastic application and should put be proud of its efforts,'' U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said Tuesday. The Miami-Dade district plans to use its share of the money to boost teacher quality and to enhance its data systems. Superintendent Alberto Carvalho hopes the money will help his district to achieve a number of long-term goals, including doubling the percentage of students attending college and cutting the achievement gap in half by 2015. ``These funds are not budget relief in any way,'' Carvalho said. The Broward district plans to spend its money on more training for teachers who can help close the learning gaps for students.

Woman gets 15 years for stealing $1.4 million — from Sheriff’s Office

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:28:00 +0000

Cathy Lister, 58, a former accounting associate in the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, was convicted of stealing $1.4 million over a decade that she should have deposited into an evidence trust fund account. She was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years in prison, according to the Pensacola News Journal . Some of the money that she was entrusted with was cash seized during drug arrests. Lister, who worked for the Sheriff's office for 32 years, was arrested Feb. 4, six days after she retired, reports the News Journal. After Lister retired, another employee assumed her duties. That employee was unable to find a deposit for $19,294 that the Sheriff’s Office seized. That's when the investigation began that exposed Lister's creative accounting handiwork. Investigators also found records in a shredding bin. Photo: Tony Giberson / Pensacola News Journal More FloriDUH

Woman gets 15 years for stealing $1.4 million — from Sheriff’s Office

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:28:00 +0000

Palm Beach County Commission agrees to consider charter review

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 03:29:40 +0000

Starting what could be a shakeup in local government, Palm Beach County commissioners agreed Tuesday to explore launching a review of the county charter. Commissioner Priscilla Taylor last month suggested changing the county charter to bring independently-elected county officials – including the sheriff, tax collector, property appraiser, county clerk and supervisor of elections – under the control of the County Commission as a way to cut the county budget. On Tuesday, Taylor convinced her fellow commissioners to call for county staffers to come up with a proposal for how to proceed with a charter review. That likely means forming a charter review committee to suggest ways to streamline or reorganize local government. “Sometimes it takes an independent eye to look at it,” Taylor said. The move closer to a charter review comes after the other county officials balked at attending a budget meeting with the County Commission to discuss ways to combine overlapping duties, such as human resources and purchasing, to cut expenses. Currently, the County Commission must approve the total $4 billion county budget, but can’t tell the other county officials how to spend their money. In addition to evaluating the roles of county officials, a charter review would likely include re-examining how county commissioners are elected. That could mean shifting to commissioners being elected countywide, instead of by voters in separate geographic districts. “I think we should review it,” Commission Chairman Burt Aaronson said. Deputy County Administrator Verdenia Baker was charged with developing a strategy for how to conduct a charter review. Voters would ultimately have to approve any charter changes.

No money for more deputies

Beach Blogger — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 18:43:33 +0000

Budget shortfalls are coming to a head in Pasco County where the sheriff wants to hire new deputies, but the commission says the money’s just not there to do it.

Cane Kung Fu: Man, 64, wards off drugstore bandit with his cane

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:50:00 +0000

Cliff Bisek, a regular customer at this Tampa Walgreens, had come in to buy a newspaper and was talking to the clerk for 15 minutes when a man approached the clerk and said, "'Give me your money,'" Bisek said, reports The Tampa Tribune , A man walked into the store, approached the clerk and said, "'Give me your money,'" reports The Tampa Tribune. When the man demanded money the second time, 64-year-old Bisek, a Vietnam veteran, had enough. So Bisek decided to raise a little cane. He swung his cane at the suspect, missing him by inches. The suspect ran off, reports The Tampa Tribune. Tampa police is still searching for the suspect. He was last seen wearing a baby blue sleeveless hoodie 971" embroidered on the back with a white T-shirt underneath. Photo: Tampa Tribune staff photo by CHRIS URSO Cliff Bisek, 64, used his cane to chase a robbery suspect from a Walgreens on East Hillsborough Avenue. More FloriDUH

Transfer Money and Access Contact Info With the "Bump" of a Smart Phone

Beach Blogger — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 14:46:43 +0000

We’re normally not huge advocates of smart phone apps that connect to social media. Sure, a lot of them are handy, but in the day and age of Foursquare check-ins, following on Twitter, and Facebo… Continue reading “Transfer Money and Access Contact Info With the Read More

Next Mega Money jackpot an estimated $2 million

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 14:51:00 +0000

No tickets matched the four winning numbers plus the Mega Ball number, so the jackpot rolled down and will stay at $2 million in the Mega Money game, the Florida Lottery said Saturday.

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