It's Not Always Nice in San Diego - $6 Million Sexual Harassment Verdict

Hot weather, which we are having in abundance this week in Texas, always makes me think of locales with year round moderate (at least compared to Texas) weather. San Diego is right up there. But it probably didn't seem so nice to ACADIA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and 2 of its top executives this week who were on the wrong end of a $6 million dollar sexual harassment/retaliation verdict in a state court lawsuit brought by scientist (and ex-employee) Audry Scully. There are almost no details about the trial itself in the San Diego Tribune newsite story, Scientist wins sexual harassment suit against Acadia.

As a publicly traded company, ACADIA was issued its own release which noted that one of the executives was charged with sexual harassment and the other with retaliation. A deadly combination (my comment, not the company's.) The damage was described this way:

In connection with the verdict, the jury awarded compensatory damages in the aggregate amount of $3.9 million and punitive damages in the aggregate amount of $2.2 million against ACADIA. The jury also awarded punitive damages against Dr. Davis and Dr. Brann. ACADIA maintains employment practices liability insurance in the amount of $3 million, which may be used to offset a portion of the compensatory damages as well as fees and expenses incurred in connection with this litigation.

And of course:

ACADIA, Dr. Davis and Dr. Brann strongly disagree with, and do not believe that the facts support the verdict rendered. These parties intend to contest the verdict vigorously through all available legal recourse through the trial court and the appellate courts.

And may do so very successfully; still at least for awhile San Diego must not have seemed quite so hospitable.