Case settled. Maybe. The Compton Bulletin is reporting that a former city employee has settled a lawsuit which alleged nonpayment of wages. Mayor Aja Brown vehemently denied the UCLA graduates claims and dismissed them as “baseless” even going so far as to berate the single mother publicly during a city council meeting. Deanna Jordan was the focus of multiple news stories, which highlighted her graduating with three degrees from the Westwood based eductation institution. The case is on the superior court docket in December, months before the compton mayor is up for re-election in April 2017. Will this case play a pivotal role in whether the mayor retains her seat?
Deanna Jordan’s lawsuit, filed last Dec. 15, named as defendants the city of Compton, Mayor Aja Brown, Brown’s husband, Van Brown, and the Urban Vision Community Development Corp.
Jordan sought unspecified compensatory and punitive damages on allegations of wrongful termination, fraud, defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress and invasion of privacy. The notice of settlement filed by Jordan’s attorneys Oct. 14 with Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Ruth Kwan does not divulge the terms.
Attorneys for the city and Brown stated in their court papers that their clients acted in good faith and were immune from liability.
Jordan, then 28, graduated from UCLA in June 2014 with two bachelor’s degrees and a master’s degree in African-American studies.
**update**
According to insiders, there is still a snafu in signing off of the settlement. Stipulations, one of which involves a public apology for Ms. Jordan, are still being hammered out. Stay tuned…
2UrbanGirls has been cited in Daily Breeze, Daily News, Inglewood Today, Intersections South LA, KCRW, KPCC, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Wave, LA Weekly, LA Watts Times, Mercury News, New York Times, Orange County Register, Sports Illustrated, The Atlantic, and Washington Post. Former contributor to CityWatchLA.
