Some good news

Sometimes, things to work out for the best. Read on.

NEW YORK - A former Suffolk County police officer who said he was subjected to death threats and harassment because he is bisexual was awarded $270,000 on Friday by a federal jury, his lawyer said.

John Weeks, a 10-year veteran of the department from East Islip, claimed in a lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Central Islip, that he had been harassed and discriminated against based on his sexual orientation.

“The Suffolk County Police Department turned a blind eye when superior officers violated Officer Weeks’ constitutionally protected rights,” said attorney Rick Ostrove. [...]

Weeks, who was fired in October 2002, said in a statement that he was “gratified that the jury has sent a clear message that discriminatory behavior in the workplace, particularly by a police department, will not be tolerated.” [...]

This is the second time in a year that the Suffolk County Police Department has lost a federal bias lawsuit. Last May, Officer Felicia Collins was awarded $229,500 in damages after winning a civil rights lawsuit in which she claimed to be the victim of a campaign of harassment. She said she was denied advancement because she is a black woman, and that the abuse she suffered came from both her peers and supervisors. (source)