Looks like Paula Deen and her legal team are breathing a slight sigh of relief now!
On Monday, a federal judge in Georgia threw out the racial discrimination allegations made by Deen’s former restaurant manager Lisa Jackson in a lawsuit against Deen and her brother Bubba Hiers. However, the judge decided to keep the sexual harassment claims.
For over five years, Jackson, a white woman, was the manager at Uncle Bubba’s Seafood and Oyster House, which was owned by Deen and Hiers. Last year, she filed a lawsuit against the two claiming that she witnessed the brother and sister constantly treating the black employees there unfairly and that she was also sexually harassed.
U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore Jr., who ruled against Jackson’s case, claimed:
Jackson, at best, “is an accidental victim of the alleged racial discrimination,” Moore said in his ruling. “There are no allegations that defendant Hiers’s racially offensive comments were either directed toward plaintiff or made with the intent to harass her.”
Deen’s publicist also issued a statement about Judge Morris’ decision:
“We are pleased with the court’s ruling today that Lisa Jackson’s claims of race discrimination have been dismissed,” Elana Weiss said in a statement “As Ms. Deen has stated before, she is confident that those who truly know how she lives her life know that she believes in equal opportunity, kindness and fairness for everyone.”
We’ll keep you updated on the future rulings of this case to come.
SOURCE: AP
