LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Jurors have reached a verdict in the case of a Louisville Metro Police lieutenant who filed a lawsuit against the city claiming that a picture of another officer's genitals she received should have been classified as sexual harassment.
The jury agreed to award Lt. Jill Hume $1.2 million in damages.
Closing arguments wrapped up just before 11:30 a.m., and the jury reached its verdict around 2 p.m.
Hume filed the lawsuit against the department and city in December 2017, saying LMPD mishandled the investigation that involved her receiving a picture of a man "holding his erect penis and testicles." The trial in the case began Oct. 2.
Hume said she received the photo from her colleague, LMPD Lt. Rob Shadle, who does not deny that he sent the photo, but says he meant to send it to someone else.
Hume says she believes Shadle sent her the picture on purpose, and that LMPD officials didn't do enough to keep him away from her. She says the incident has affected her job performance and personal life. During her testimony in court Thursday, Hume said she's not sure she would have reported the incident if she had to do it over again because of the stress it has caused her.
"I question, if I did this all over again, would I report it?" Hume said. "And I don't know that I would ... because everything that's gone on with it -- the stress, the stigmas."
Shadle was suspended for 20 days and removed from the hostage negotiating team after the Hume filed a formal complaint. During closing arguments Friday, the assistant county attorney said that was enough punishment, and that this is a "no damages" case, because the picture did not cause injury or harm to Hume.
Hume's attorney, Thomas Clay, said Shadle must have known he was sending the picture to Hume, saying there were five separate messages that left identifying information.
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