Following a contentious multi-day jury trial in the Third Circuit Court, the County of Hawai‘i and Douglass Adams, former Director of the Department of Research and Development, have been fully vindicated of all allegations in a lawsuit regarding the County’s hiring processes.
The jury returned a verdict in favor of the County and Adams, finding that the Plaintiff failed to prove any claims of discrimination or misconduct by a preponderance of the evidence.
The lawsuit, filed in 2023, centered on allegations of discrimination during the recruitment for a Film Commissioner position. The Plaintiff asserted several claims, including:
- Employment discrimination in hiring based on age, sex (male), and sexual orientation under HRS § 378-2(a)(1).
- Aiding and abetting a discriminatory practice under HRS § 378-2(a)(3).
- Negligent and Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress.
- Negligent Supervision.
During the trial, the defense demonstrated that the personnel decisions followed established County procedures and state law.