A jury in St. Louis has found that a
police sergeant was discriminated against because he's gay and
recommended he be awarded nearly $20 million.
According to the St.
Louis Post-Dispatch, the jury reached its verdict on Friday.
Keith Wildhaber filed his lawsuit in
2017 after he was passed over for a promotion to lieutenant.
During his trial, Wildhaber testified
that former St. Louis County Police Board of Commissioners member
John Saracino advised him in 2014 to tone down his “gayness” to
secure a promotion.
The remark made Wildhaber feel like he
had “been punched in the gut,” he said.
Wildhaber's attorney told the jury that
after his client came out, he hit a “glass ceiling.”
Wildhaber was transferred after he
filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
(EEOC).
Wildhaber was awarded $1.9 million in
damages and $10 million in punitive damages based on the
discrimination claim. The jury also recommended $8 for a claim of
retaliation.