Article: 887 of clari.news.sex From: clarinews@clarinet.com (ELKA WORNER) Newsgroups: clari.news.law.civil,clari.news.sex,clari.news.group.women,clari.local.california,clari.news.top Subject: Man wins $1 million in sex harassment case Keywords: civil proceedings, legal, sex, human interest, women, special interest Message-ID: References: X-Supersedes: Date: Wed, 19 May 93 15:58:37 PDT ACategory: usa Slugword: sexharass Priority: major Format: regular ANPA: Wc: 421/429; Id: z6111; Sel: xxnlb; Adate: 5-19-650ppd; Ver: 0/2; V: ld Approved: clarinews@clarinet.com Codes: ynlbrxx., ynhxrxx., ynjwrxx., xxxxxxxx Note: (complete writethru -- react from cal spas president; attorneys) Lines: 41 LOS ANGELES (UPI) -- In a rare sexual harassment case, a California man has won $1 million in damages because his woman boss hugged, kissed and fondled him almost daily for 5 1/2 years. His attorney said Wednesday it apparently is the first case in the nation in which a man won damages from a woman for sexual harassment in the workplace. A Los Angeles Superior Court jury Tuesday sided with Sabino Gutierrez, 33, of Ontario, ordering Maria Martinez and her employer, Cal Spas in Pomona, to pay damages. Gutierrez's lawsuit claimed that Martinez hugged and kissed him and fondled his genitals regularly from July 1986 to January 1992. Martinez, who is married and has two children, denied any sexual involvement with Gutierrez. Cal Spas President Chuck Hewitt called the verdict ``absolutely absurd'' and ``an example of the total craziness of California juries.'' Hewitt said he has known Martinez for 10 years and that she is a ``very high class lady'' who ``has worked her way up from bookkeeper to CFO (chief financial officer).'' Gutierrez acknowledged during the trial and in a news conference Wednesday that he had sex with Martinez once in his condominium in 1988. He told reporters he ``felt pressured to have sex with her'' and feared that if he didn't, he would be fired. ``I thought if I don't do it, they're going to send me back to the street,'' Gutierrez said. The forewoman of the jury panel of 10 women and two men said Wednesday that the sexual encounter had little bearing on the verdict. Clara Riles said it was based ``not just on that one day but the fact that he was coerced and afraid of losing his job.'' ``His mind was reacting one way and his body was going another way,'' she said. Attorney Gloria Allred, who often represents women in such cases, said she was unable to find records of any other case in which a man won damages for being sexually harassed by a woman. She said the case should remind employers that they have a duty to protect ``men as well as women from this unlawful employment practice.'' Gutierrez said he complained to management about the sexual harassment, but nothing was done. Hewitt said the verdict has jeopardized his business and ruined Martinez's life. ``The verdict is a miscarriage of justice and reveals deep-seated stereotypes about women's place in the business world,'' he said.