Woman claims sexual harassment at Quad/Graphics

MARTINSBURG - A woman is claiming she was sexually harassed on the job and the culprit was not reprimanded because he is African-American.

In a lawsuit filed April 17 in Berkeley Circuit Court, Tammy L. Murphy says Leon Lockley, her shift supervisor, made remarks of a suggestive sexual nature to her while employed at Quad/Graphics, a print processing plant.

She is represented by Christopher Luttrell of Martinsburg law firm Swift Luttrell.

"Throughout the course of Plaintiff's employment with Quad/Graphics, Defendant Lockley made remarks of a suggestive, sexual nature directed at the plaintiff, namely that if the plaintiff would perform certain sexual acts on her superiors, she would stand a better chance to obtain favorable treatment in the workplace," the complaint says.

Listed as defendants are Quad/Graphics, Lockley, Mark Monti and Linda Snyder.

Murphy claims she asked Monti to remove her from Lockley's shift, which was granted approximately two years after her first complaint.

Murphy also alleges that Snyder feared taking action against Lockley because he is African-American, and that Monti and Snyder placed Lockley back on Murphy's shift in an effort to get her to quit, which she subsequently did.

She charges the defendants with sexual discrimination, unlawful reprisal, intentional infliction of emotional distress and a claim for punitive damages. She's also seeking actual damages.

Judge Christopher Wilkes has been assigned the case.

Berkeley Circuit Court case number 06-C-267