A federal judge has given the green light for the Justice Department and an Alabama sheriff’s office to proceed with a $2 million settlement in a lawsuit accusing sheriff’s officials of disregarding reports of sexual harassment by male prisoners made by female jailers.
In 2021, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, alleging that female jail workers were subjected to regular incidents of lewd comments, threats of sexual violence, and exposure by male prisoners. The lawsuit further claimed that then-Sheriff Sam Cochran failed to take appropriate action after a dozen employees lodged a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Last month, both parties announced a proposed settlement that included compensatory damages to be paid to the women identified as plaintiffs in the lawsuit. The settlement also stated that other female jailers who worked in Mobile County between 2011 and April 2023 may be eligible for cash payments.
Eligible employees are given the opportunity to provide their comments on the settlement proposal to the judge, who will hold a hearing on August 25th before making a final decision on its approval.
In addition to the monetary compensation, the sheriff’s office has agreed to implement changes at the jail aimed at reducing sexual harassment against female workers, following recommendations from a corrections expert.
The Mobile County Metro Jail, which holds approximately 1,500 inmates daily for both the county and the city of Mobile, will be impacted by these changes. Former Sheriff Sam Cochran did not seek re-election and retired in January, while newly elected Sheriff Paul Burch, who served as one of Cochran’s captains, assumed the position in November.
