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EMPLOYMENT LAW
WRONGFUL TERMINATION / NATIONAL ORIGIN DISCRIMINATION
VERDICT: Defense
CASE / NUMBER: Joselito Torres v. Sokolobl Entertainment, MTV Networks / BC311582
COURT / DATE: Los Angeles Suprior Central / June 14, 2005
JUDGE: Hon. Susan Bryant-Deason
ATTORNEYS: Plaintiff - Carney R. Shegerian, Donald Conway (Shegerian & Associates, Los Angeles)
Defendant - Eli M. Kantor (Law Offices of Eli M. Kantor, Beverly Hills) for Sokolobl Entertainment -
- Paul W. Sweeney Jr., Christopher J. Kondon, Nicole M. Lee (Kirkpartick & Lockhart, Los Angeles) for MTV
FACTS & CONTENTIONS: The Plaintiff, Joselito Torres, 42, was an entertainment casting director who claimed he was terminated because of his Filipino accent. Specially, Torres claimed that MTV Networks induced his employer, Sokolobl Entertainment, to terminate him after just three weeks. Torres sued MTV and Sokolobl, alleging national origin discrimination. The defendants contended that the plaintiff's termination was the result of thee poor quality of contestants he recruited for reality television shows. The defendants contended the plaintiff's national origin and accent had nothing to do with the termination.
INJURIES: The plaintiff claimed that he suffered from emotional distress
DAMAGES: The plaintiff sought an undisclosed sum for future loss of earnings
Specials in evidence: LOE, $500,000.
JURY TRIAL: Length, eight days; Poll 10-2 (for Sokolobl Entertainment), 9-3 (for MTV)
Settlement Discussions: Plaintiff demanded $500,000, reduced to $300,000 during deliberations. Sokolobl offered $10,000.
THE RESULT: The jury returned a defense verdict. |
