Jury awards former PRC worker $960K under state whistle-blower law [The Santa Fe New Mexican]
By Tom Sharpe, The Santa Fe New Mexican | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
Because the case was brought under the state's 2010 Whistleblower Protection Act -- the first time such a case has gone to trial -- damages will be doubled and legal fees, estimated at
"In spite of all the insults against me and how tough this whole process was for my attorneys, family and friends, I can tell you, I just hope state employees get to say to themselves, 'Oh, we can finally fix this,' " Feliciano after the verdict. "Ninety-five percent or whatever are hardworkers. They just need the right leadership to support that."
Feliciano was fired from his
In 2010, he sued the PRC, former PRC chief of staff
The jury trial began Tuesday before state District Judge
During closing arguments on Friday morning, defense attorney
"The purpose of this job-security plan was simply to make it harder for his employer to fire him," Gardner said.
Gardner urged the jurors to reject damages in the case to show New Mexicans that state employees will be held accountable for their actions, and that "we do not tolerate individuals to use the threat of a lawsuit" to keep their jobs.
Feliciano's lawyer,
"With this case, you can show New Mexicans that you care about how government functions," he said. "You can send a message to the PRC."
Davis ridiculed what he called "the attempts to smear
Although Feliciano "did not perform perfectly," Davis said, "he nailed some bad guys" by getting licenses revoked from insurance agents who committed fraud.
Davis hammered away at the defense's argument that Feliciano falsely claimed he was a certified public accountant in
Outside the courtroom, Feliciano said he had both a CPA certificate and license in
The jury foreman,
Woodward said the main factors that influenced the verdict were that the Insurance Division was not living up to its mission and that there was a vendetta against Feliciano.
The jury took about three hours, including lunch, before rendering its verdict. Only one juror disagreed. Unlike juries in criminal cases, which must be unanimous, civil-case juries need agreement from only 10 of the 12 jurors.
Mayfield, who now serves on the
Chavez, who now has a private law practice in
Feliciano's award from the PRC is the largest since 2008, when a
At least four other women have sued the PRC in the last year, alleging harassment or discrimination. One of them,
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