Fenton v. Pritchard Corp.

926 F. Supp. 1437, 7 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 1109, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7750, 69 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 44,321, 1996 WL 303488
CourtDistrict Court, D. Kansas
DecidedMay 30, 1996
DocketCivil Action 95-2156-DES
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 926 F. Supp. 1437 (Fenton v. Pritchard Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Fenton v. Pritchard Corp., 926 F. Supp. 1437, 7 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 1109, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7750, 69 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 44,321, 1996 WL 303488 (D. Kan. 1996).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

SAFPELS, District Judge.

This matter is before the court on defendants’ motion for summary judgment (Doc. 49). On September 26, 1995, the plaintiff Ronald B. Fenton (“Fenton”) filed a first amended complaint consisting of eight claims against the defendants (Doc. 24). However, during a pretrial conference held before Magistrate Judge Ronald C. Newman on May 8, 1996, the parties narrowed the case down to three specific claims. Accordingly, this order addresses those three remaining claims only. They are as follows: (1) the defendants perceived plaintiff to have a mental or emotional disability and based on that perception defendants unlawfully terminated the plaintiff in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”); (2) the defendants unlawfully discriminated against the plaintiff due to his gender in violation of Title VII, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq.; and (3) the defendants intentionally inflicted emotional distress upon the plaintiff.

*1441 I. BACKGROUND

The court considers the following to be the uncontroverted facts. This case stems from a failed romance. The plaintiff and a woman named Deloris Johnson (“Johnson”), both employees for defendant Pritchard Corporation (“Pritchard”), became involved with one another in September 1993. The plaintiff was an engineer and Johnson was a receptionist. At first, the courtship went swimmingly with Fenton purchasing flowers and expensive gifts for Johnson. There was even talk of marriage. But by late October 1993, the relationship had deteriorated and Johnson ended it. Within less than a month, Johnson and Fenton attempted a reconciliation but that too failed. Fenton continued to call Johnson and he came to her apartment door, and at least on one occasion she refused to come to the door.

In mid-December 1993, Johnson reported to her supervisor, Carroll Rowe (“Rowe”), that Fenton was calling her at work, coming by her desk, and sending her flowers and notes at work after she had told him she did not want to see him any more. She said this attention to her was unwelcome. Management of Pritchard discussed the situation with Fenton and instructed him not to contact Johnson at work and advised him to stay away from her altogether. He was told that his job was at risk if he contacted Johnson at work. 1

Upon learning that Johnson had complained to management about his behavior, Fenton sent Johnson a menacing letter which stated, in part:

I have been thinking about you all afternoon and evening, terrible sickening thoughts, ugly realizations about what you are ... how could I have misjudged you— not seen the black heart? ... Bud and Randy both feel I should beat the hell out of you. I want to but I can’t, I won’t ... I keep asking myself—could I have done something so terribly wrong that it turned the most exciting, beautiful woman I’ve ever met into a monster intent on hurting me and obviously trying to destroy me? ... I would have done anything to please you, ever hear “I’ll kill for you but I won’t die for you?” ... Hate/Love Ron. 2

Even after Johnson complained to management about Fenton, he wanted a relationship with her and he continued to make contact with her. At some point between mid-December 1993 and early February 1994, Johnson called the police and reported Fenton’s behavior.

In early February 1994, Johnson again complained to her supervisor regarding Fen-ton’s behavior toward her and expressed her fear of Johnson. 3 Pritchard management met with Fenton on February 7, 1994, and informed him that Johnson had again complained of his behavior and that Fenton should stay away from Johnson at work. Fenton was again informed that if he contacted Johnson away from work and it negatively affected Johnson’s job performance, it could result in serious repercussions for him. Similarly, Johnson was warned not to contact Fenton at work and she was urged to avoid contact with him that caused disruption at work. She was advised that if she contacted Fenton it could result in serious repercussions for her. 4

In early March 1994, Johnson rekindled her relationship with Fenton for a few weeks but then ended it again. According to an Overland Park Police Department report, on March 24, 1994, Fenton saw Johnson in the parking lot of an area restaurant. 5 Fenton *1442 then followed Johnson in his car. When Johnson realized Fenton was following her, she tried to elude him in her car. When she thought she had lost him, she drove to her apartment building. As she walked toward her apartment building, Fenton approached Johnson and struck her in the face. Johnson filed a police report and Fenton was charged with misdemeanor battery. In lieu of prosecution, Fenton agreed to participate in a diversion program wherein he was required to undergo counseling.

The day after the attack, Fenton left Johnson a phone message stating the following:

You must be pretty desperate, Dee, if that’s the best you can do is old fat Phil at work. Are you becoming the company whore now? How many guys at Pritchard do you think you can fuck? You make me sick. I’m disgusted at myself for loving you so much. And you’ve treated me like this. I’m disgusted at myself for slapping you. You’re the only woman I’ve ever hit. I apologize for that. You did deserve it though. Dee, there’s nothing more disgusting that a middle-aged old whore. How can you do that? I don’t understand. How could I have been so wrong? Well, Dee, this is the third week you’ve gone ballistic again. Maybe it’s time you get some help before you destroy yourself and other people right along with you. I feel sorry for you. I wish I could help.

After Fenton slapped Johnson, she reported it to her supervisor at work. She told the supervisor that she was afraid of Fenton. A few days after she was assailed, Johnson provided Pritchard’s Human Resources Department with a written statement outlining the incident. Following the striking incident, other employees reported to Pritchard Human Resources that they were fearful of Fenton and Pritchard’s management initiated an investigation into what to do with this increasingly disturbing situation. On questioning by defendant’s management, Fenton admitted that he struck Johnson. By mid-April, Pritchard management had decided that Fenton would either be discharged or transferred to another division where he would have no further contact with Johnson. Two memorandums were drafted, one reflecting the discharge and the other reflecting the transfer. However, neither memo was given to Fenton because Fenton—on April 15,1994—submitted his resignation before a final decision could be made.

Before Fenton quit, Pritchard’s director of Human Resources, Gerald Caraher (“Caraher”), met with Clifford Witherby (“Wither-by”) to discuss Fenton’s situation. Witherby was a lead engineer who worked with Fen-ton.

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926 F. Supp. 1437, 7 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 1109, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7750, 69 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 44,321, 1996 WL 303488, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fenton-v-pritchard-corp-ksd-1996.