Townsend sues Shook

By Jason Reagan

reagan@wataugademocrat.com 

Former Watauga County chief sheriff’s deputy Paula Townsend filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday against Sheriff Mark Shook and the county, claiming Shook sexually harassed her several times and subsequently fired her for refusing his advances.

Represented by Winston-Salem attorney Angela Gray, Townsend filed the suit in federal court in Statesville after going through a process of certifying the complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission — a process that has lasted almost a year.

The lawsuit claims Shook attempted to “engage in a personal relationship” with Townsend beginning on New Year’s Eve 2002.

Townsend said she rebuffed Shook then and on several other occasions and that he subsequently fired her in June 2005.

Between 2002 and 2005, Townsend claims Shook “touched her inappropriately in a sexual manner on several occasions” and “made sexual comments to her regarding his sexual fantasies and his past sexual experiences.”

The lawsuit alleges Townsend rejected Shook’s advances and “[advised] him that she felt his comments and conduct were inappropriate and unwelcome.”

The former chief deputy alleges Shook then became offended and that her rejection “negatively altered her work condition,” according to the lawsuit.

Ultimately, the suit contends that Shook fired Townsend “because of her gender and for refusing to comply with [his] sexual advances, requests and demands.”

Townsend initially filed a complaint in July 2005 with the EEOC. Under federal regulation, a complaint must go through a filing process in order to be certified as a civil-rights allegation. So, although many local people have known of Townsend’s intention to sue for almost a year, no public records existed to back up the complaint until Tuesday. EEOC refused to comment about the case or its existence.

When asked about the lawsuit Shook said:

“This is a politically motivated and totally unfounded lawsuit. It is telling that the plaintiff chose to file a lawsuit prior to the EEOC concluding its investigation. I am confident that the EEOC will find all the charges against me to be false. I am equally confident that the all of the plaintiff’s charges against me will be shown to be false in a court of law. I look forward to having the opportunity to defend my office and this administration in a court of law.”

On Monday, Townsend and Gray received a “Notice of Right to Sue” from the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division stating that Townsend had a right to sue under Title VII within 90 days.

Gray declined to state the amount of damages they would seek but the lawsuit states Townsend will seek compensatory damages for losses, “emotional pain and mental anguish,” along with attorneys’ fees, punitive damages and back pay. The total would exceed Townsend’s annual salary with the sheriff’s office, which Gray said was slightly more than $50,000.

Jerry Sena contributed to this report. For more details, see the Friday edition of the Watauga Democrat.