From staff and wire reports – September 22, 1990
SALT LAKE CITY - The state has agreed to pay $95,000 to one
of the former secretaries who alleged sexual harassment by former Utah
Corrections Inspector General Scott McAlister. The out-of-court settlement was
reached Thursday with Linda D. Dreitzler, whose federal court suit alleged that
McAlister "traded" female employees based on sexual preference. The
action also contended that Corrections Director Gary DeLand knew or should have
known of the harassment but took no action.
McAlister,
who is a former assistant attorney general in Oregon, faces trial Oct. 16 on
a felony charge of possession of child pornography. Dreitzler alleged that
McAlister used pornographic movies as teaching aids to make female employees
comfortable with group sex.
Dreitzler
alleged that she was demoted from legal secretary to file clerk after refusing
to engage in group sex with McAlister and another female employee. McAlister denies
the sexual harassment allegations. The attorney general's office confirmed the
settlement but had no further comment Thursday.
Kathryn Collard, representing Dreitzler, said the settlement indicated the strength of her client's case against Corrections. "It is unfortunate that the taxpayers have to pay for DeLand's poor judgment at the Department of Corrections," she said. McAlister was hired in January 1989 by DeLand. The Utah Department of Corrections did not make usual background checks on McAlister because DeLand knew him. McAlister resigned in December 1989 amid allegations of sexual harassment.