Prosecutor Miller Wins $3M Verdict Against OC DA Spitzer
Table of Contents
Case Background
Tracy Miller, a decorated prosecutor who served the Orange County District Attorney’s Office for twenty-five years, filed this explosive lawsuit after she felt the office's executive leadership had forced her into early retirement. Miller had risen to the rank of Senior Assistant District Attorney and held significant responsibility under the newly elected District Attorney, Todd Spitzer. The trouble began when Miller tried to defend junior female colleagues who previously had reported being sexually harassed by one of Spitzer’s closest personal friends and top prosecutors, Gary LoGalbo. Miller stood up to the office's handling of the harassment claims, which she asserted had devolved into a cover-up and retaliation scheme against the victims.
Cause
Miller's cause of action stemmed directly from the executive team's alleged reaction to her defense of the female prosecutors and her whistleblowing efforts regarding other alleged misconduct, including political interference in capital murder cases. She claimed that District Attorney Todd Spitzer and Chief Assistant District Attorney Shawn Nelson (who later became a Superior Court Judge) systematically humiliated her, undermined her authority, and created a hostile and toxic work environment. This pervasive conduct forced her to retire from the job she loved in what the lawsuit termed a "constructive termination."
Injury
Miller sought compensation for significant injuries she suffered as a direct result of the Defendants' actions. These injuries included substantial future economic loss related to her forced, premature re
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