Editor’s note: This story contains descriptions of sexual assault and harassment.
After just under an hour and a half, a Franklin Circuit Court jury unanimously found that Kentucky State University violated the Kentucky Whistleblower Act by terminating former Student Support Services (SSS) Assistant Director Xavier Dillard. The jury awarded Dillard $161,539 in lost wages and $200,000 in emotional damages.
In a case that spanned four days, featured 11 witnesses and almost 40 pieces of evidence, lawyers representing both Dillard and KSU presented their arguments for the true cause of Dillard’s termination from the university in October 2018.
Dillard and his lawyer, Michael Augustus, told The State Journal they felt vindicated by the jury’s decision. Dillard said it was almost surreal that almost three years after being unjustly fired by KSU justice was finally being served.
“For me it’s just kinda like a dream, I’m not sure if I’m awake or not. I’m just glad that I’m able to bring justice and bring light to the situations that were going on,” he explained.
Dillard alleged he was unjustly fired from KSU for sending an email advocating for two students who submitted sexual harassment cases against university faculty and staff, as well as claiming the university was out of compliance with rules and stipulations related to federal TRIO grants. These grants were used to fund SSS and would provide materials to students from disadvantaged backgrounds, such as white boards,...
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