City of Topeka loses gender discrimination lawsuit, has to pay nearly $500,000
TOPEKA (KSNT) - The verdict for a gender discrimination lawsuit involving the Topeka Police Department (TPD) came down on Thursday.
A jury in a federal court delivered unanimous agreements on Sept. 19 for the cases of two plaintiffs, Jana Kizzar (formerly Jana Harden) and Colleen Stuart, who sued the City of Topeka and former TPD Police Chief Bryan Wheeles in early 2023. The women made accusations that the TPD was a "good ol' boys system" with a pattern of gender discrimination. The lawsuit was filed under the Title VII Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Court documents obtained by 27 News show both women will be awarded large sums of cash in the lawsuit from the City of Topeka. A breakdown can be found below:
- Colleen Stuart
- Compensatory damages - $200,000.
- Back pay and benefits - $35,277.58.
- Front pay and benefits - $42,593.67.
- Total - $277,871.25.
- Jana Kizzar
- Compensatory damages - $200,000.
- Back pay and benefits - $11,059.20
- Front pay and benefits - $0.
- Total - $211,059.20.
- Total - $488,930.45.
Both plaintiffs originally asked for $1.5 million in damages for future lost wages, benefits and emotional distress in the initial court filing in 2023. They also requested the jury trial take place in Kansas City, Kansas.
Witnesses called forth for the case include both plaintiffs, former TPD Police Chief Bill Cochran, former TPD Police Chief Bryan Wheeles, Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay and former City Manager Brent Trout. The trial for the lawsuit was set for a jury trial starting on Sept. 16.
TPD Captain Jennifer Cross filed a second gender discrimination lawsuit against the city on Sept. 13. In this new lawsuit, Cross claimed Stuart and Kizzar were retaliated against after the filing of their lawsuit last year and said female officers are treated negatively within the department.
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