Jury finds for Kansas City, against city employee in civil lawsuit

A Jackson County jury ruled in favor of Kansas City and against a city employee Friday in a civil lawsuit.

The victory for the city follows a loss several weeks ago in which a jury awarded $150,000 to a Water Services employee, LaDonna Nunley, who had sued over a sexually hostile work environment in the department.

This latest case involved an aviation maintenance mechanic named Timothy Walsh, who sued the city several years ago when he worked for the water department, claiming retaliation. He won $75,000 in punitive damages.

The trial this week involved his second lawsuit against the city. This time he said that, because of the earlier lawsuit, he was denied a promotion to maintenance supervisor within the water department.

He asked the jury for $65,000 in actual damages and unspecified punitive damages.

But the jury returned a verdict for the city after brief deliberations.

City Attorney Cecilia Abbott praised the hard work of the city’s trial attorneys, Bret Kassen and Tara Kelly. “Thank you to the jury for their careful deliberations and their service to our community during this four-day trial,” she said.

Regarding the Nunley punitive damages, Abbott said the city hasn’t yet made a decision on an appeal, and negotiations are underway to try to settle that case.

This story was originally published February 17, 2017 at 4:35 PM with the headline "Jury finds for Kansas City, against city employee in civil lawsuit."