Homophobic assault victim sues for $50m

By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk • June 27, 2007 - 11:30

The Emmy Award-winning senior producer for the CBS Evening News said the network further increased his suffering by allegedly asking him inappropriate questions.

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A TV producer has accused the CBS network of firing him after he spoke out about being gay-bashed while vacationing in St. Maarten.

Richard Jefferson is suing his former employer for $50 million (£25m), the New York Post reports.

Jefferson was beaten with a tyre wrench in a gay-bashing incident on the resort island last April.

The Emmy Award-winning senior producer for the CBS Evening News said the network further increased his suffering by allegedly asking him inappropriate questions and firing him for talking about the experience, reports the Post.

His suit also claims CBS "improperly pried into his private life, dictated his after hours activities, restricted his First Amendment rights, created false complaints about his performance."

It further claims that CBS "terminated him on the basis of his sexual orientation."

In a statement issued to the media, CBS spokeswoman Sandra Genelius called the suit "unequivocally baseless."

Jefferson's contract was not renewed "due to legitimate issues with his performance that had been previously discussed with him," the statement said.

Jefferson's attackers have since been convicted of assault.

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