Sexual Harassment Case Against Waffle House CEO Nearing End
Atlanta, GA-Sexual harassment case against Waffle CEO Joe Rogers Jr. is nearing the end now that the Georgia Supreme Court is hearing arguments. But the road to a conclusion of the case has been long and plagued with a sex-tape scandal and accusations of extortion.
Former Assistant Accuses Waffle House CEO of Sexual Harassment
Arguments for the case began Monday, June 26, 2017, and will determine if the indictments against the woman and two attorneys will stand.
In 2011, the accuser contacted two attorneys alleging she was sexually harassed by Rogers who was her boss. She accused Rogers of coercing her into having a sexual relationship with him, one that lasted for nine years.
Rogers insists their relationship was consensual.
After meeting with the attorneys, they suggested she secretly catch one of their sexual encounters on tape against the advice of the private investigators. The woman did tape one of their encounters and turned the tape over to her attorneys who planned to use it as evidence if the case went to court.
Once the women’s attorneys had the tape, they sent a letter to Rogers demanding he pay their client $12 million sexual harassment settlement and he would be able to avoid a civil trial. The letter threatened to notify several federal agencies to investigate and tie Rogers up in multiple investigations. That letter, Rogers says, amounts to extortion and the state moved to prosecute the woman and her two lawyers.
Eventually, the woman and her two attorneys were indicted on charges of extortion, conspiracy to commit unlawful surveillance, and illegal surveillance. The indictments were thrown out but the state appealed, and now the Georgia Supreme Court will decide if the indictments should stand.
The defense argues that threatening to file a lawsuit does not equate to extortion, the Ledger-Enquirer reports.
Sexual Harassment Settlements
Most sexual harassment cases are resolved through settlement negotiations. The case discussed above went off the rails a bit because of overly ambitious attorneys. An attorney must be assertive to get a generous settlement, but the methods the woman’s lawyers employed tanked her case, and she ended up being charged with several crimes.
Her case might have had a better outcome if her legal team had employed a better strategy. The biggest takeaway from this case is how important it is to find the right lawyer to work in on your sexual harassment claim. USAttorneys.com has a knowledgeable and experienced team of sexual harassment lawyers in Atlanta, Georgia, who will choose a strategy that will result in a generous settlement or award amount. Call and set up a case evaluation today. You can meet with one of our attorneys and decide if they are the best attorney for you.
