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A $10 million sexual harassment verdict was overturned after the Second District Court of Appeal District Eight found notable errors in the case presided over by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert Draper. The appellate court highlighted that Judge Draper should not have allowed decades-old newspaper articles regarding the plaintiff’s alleged harasser’s expunged misdemeanor convictions as evidence. Additionally, the court ruled against the testimony of a student about a separate harassment complaint involving another district administrator.
During a post-trial hearing, Judge Draper’s remarks on race and gender were criticized as “extreme and bizarre,” casting further doubt on the integrity of the trial proceedings. The decision by the three-justice panel underscores the complexities involved in balancing evidentiary admissibility with prejudicial risk.
For more detailed insights into the case and the appellate court’s ruling, visit The Recorder.
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