Professional Documents
Culture Documents
AHF Lawsuit
AHF Lawsuit
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ANNETTE MORASCH, SBN 263797
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LAW OFFICE OF ANNETTE MORASCH, APC
5701 W. SLAUSON AVE., SUITE 210
3 CULVER CITY, CA 90230
PHONE: (323) 791-6276
4 FAX: (323) 617-5523
[email protected]
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Attorney for Plaintiffs
6 Annette Turner and Tammy Davis
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22 DEFENDANT(s)
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COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF
1 TO THE COURT, DEFENDANTS AND THEIR ATTORNEYS OF RECORD:
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Plaintiffs, Annette Turner and Tammy Davis, hereby allege as follows against
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the following defendants: AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION, a California
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in the City and County of Los Angeles and all Defendants conduct business within
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Los Angeles.
16 THE PARTIES
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The Plaintiffs
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3. At all relevant times herein, Plaintiffs have been tenants of Defendant AIDS
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HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION. AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION owns and
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21 manages The Madison Hotel, located at 423 E. 7 th Street, Los Angeles (“The
22 Madison”). Plaintiff is a “tenant” within the meaning of Cal. Civ. Code §1940, et seq.
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and Los Angeles Municipal Code (“LAMC”) §47.73(U).
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4. Plaintiff, Annette Turner, is a woman, lives at The Madison, and is 57 years
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26 old.
27 5. Plaintiff, Tammy Davis, is a woman, lives at The Madison, and is 50 years old.
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COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF
1 The Defendants
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6. Since September 27, 2017, Defendant AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION, a
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California Corporation has owned and operated The Madison. The Madison is
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5 located at 423 E. 7th Street, Los Angeles. The Madison Hotel is a “housing
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establishment” as defined under Cal. Civ. Code §51 et seq.
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direction of AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION at The Madison. Upon information
16 and belief, VICTOR’S SERVICES does not maintain a license as required by the
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California Contractors State License Board. VICTOR’S SERVICES is a “business
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establishment” as defined under Cal. Civ. Code §51 et seq.
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8. Defendant, TONY ROSITAS, is, or was, an employee of VICTOR’S SERVICES,
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21 and did various repairs and work assignments at the direction of AIDS
26 provided “security guards” for the Madison. Upon information and belief, DOE 1 is a
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COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF
1 10. DOE 2 is a male individual “security guard” employed by either AIDS
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HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION, or DOE 1. DOE 2 works at the Madison.
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11. Plaintiff Tammy Davis is informed and believes, that AIDS
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6 10, were, or are, the agent, ostensible agent, alter ego, representative, employer,
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employee, joint venture, parent, subsidiary, affiliate, related entity, partner and/or
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associate of each other, and were at all times acting and performing, or failing to act
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or perform, within the course and scope of that agency and/or authorization and/or
11 ratification, and are therefore all responsible in some manner for the acts and
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omissions of each other.
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12. Plaintiff Annette Turner is informed and believes, that AIDS
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HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION, and DOES 1-10, were, or are, the agent, ostensible
21 responsible in some manner for the acts and omissions of each other.
22 13. Plaintiffs are ignorant of the true names and capacities of defendants
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used herein as DOES 1 through 10, inclusive, and therefore sue these defendants by
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such fictitious names. Plaintiffs will amend this complaint to allege the defendants’
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COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF
1 14. As a direct and proximate result of the unlawful actions of Defendants
2 AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION, and DOES 1-10, Annette Turner has suffered,
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and continues to suffer, monetary, and emotional damages.
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15. As a direct and proximate result of the unlawful actions of Defendants
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AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION, VICTOR SERVICES, TONY ROSITAS, and DOES
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3-10, Tammy Davis has suffered, and continues to suffer, monetary, physical and
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emotional damages.
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STATEMENT OF FACTS
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Facts Specific to Plaintiff Annette Turner
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11 16. Near the beginning of October 2020, security guards employed by either
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FOUNDATION that this occurred. No one has spoken with Ms. Turner and the
22 19. In addition, a female security guard called Ms. Turner a “bitch” and “ho”
23 for absolutely no reason. Ms. Turner also reported this incident to AIDS Healthcare
24 Foundation. Plaintiffs’ counsel also reported this incident to AIDS Healthcare
25 Foundation’s inside legal counsel. No one has spoken to Ms. Turner and the female
26 security guard remains employed.
27 20. No one from AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION, DOE 1, or DOES 3-10
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ever contacted Ms. Turner concerning DOE 2 and these other female guards’
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COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF
1 actions. Upon information and belief, none of these defendants took any action to
2 notify other residents of DOE 2, and the other security guards’ actions, nor did any
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defendant take any steps to prevent additional sexual harassment occurring again at
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The Madison
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Facts Pertaining to Plaintiff Tammy Davis
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21. Ms. Davis uses a wheelchair.
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9 VICTOR’S SERVICES, LLC, came to Tammy Davis’ (“Ms. Davis”) unit to do some
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maintenance work. When inside Ms. Davis’ unit, ROSITAS made inappropriate,
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sexual comments to Ms. Davis, and he purposefully brushed his arm against Ms.
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Davis’s breasts while working on her sink.
14 23. Ms. Davis and another tenant turned in a written complaint about Mr.
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Rositas to an AIDS Healthcare Foundation employee manning the front desk of The
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Madison. The written complaint stated words to the effect that Tony Rositas was
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sexually harassing Ms. Davis, and Ms. Davis did not feel comfortable with Mr.
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25 25. On June 8, 2020, Mr. Rositas returned to Ms. Davis’s unit to,
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supposedly, touch up the paint on Ms. Davis’s walls. While in her unit, Mr. Rositas
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COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF
1 sexually assaulted Ms. Davis and made disgusting and sexually inappropriate
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comments.
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26. Mr. Rositas asked Ms. Davis when she lost her virginity. Mr. Rositas
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5 motioned to her bed and said, “This bed doesn’t make a lot of noise. Unless you’re a
6 screamer of course.” Mr. Rositas said, “I would really love to see your breasts one
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day,” or words to that effect. Mr. Rositas pulled down the neck of Ms. Davis’s shirt,
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exposing her breast, then caressing her breast with the back of his hand. Mr.
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Rositas then pulled up Ms. Davis’s skirt and slid his hand up her leg until he was
11 rubbing her vagina. Ms. Davis was frozen with fear and could not do anything to
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defend herself. Mr. Rositas looked at Ms. Davis’s pet cat and said to it, “Don’t worry,
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I’m not going to hurt your mommy.” When Mr. Rositas was finished sexually
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assaulting Ms. Davis, he walked out of the unit saying, “You have a good evening. I
21 assaulting Ms. Davis. Carmel wrote notes down on a post-it note while Ms. Davis
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28. Ms. Davis’s attorney immediately contacted inside counsel for the AIDS
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HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION to inform them that Mr. Rositas had sexually
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COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF
1 29. Yet the next morning at approximately 8:30-9:00 a.m., Ms. Davis saw
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Mr. Rositas inside The Madison, reporting for work as if nothing had happened. Ms.
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Davis’s attorney immediately contacted counsel for AIDS HEALTHCARE
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5 FOUNDATION, again requesting that Mr. Rositas be excluded from The Madison. At
6 11:50 a.m., Ms. Davis heard a loud pound on the wall, like someone had punched it.
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A few minutes later, Ms. Davis witnessed Mr. Rositas in his vehicle, about to leave
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The Madison.
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30. Ms. Davis obtained a Temporary, and then a Permanent, Restraining
11 Order against Mr. Rositas. At the permanent restraining order hearing, Mr. Rositas
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was not credible in his denial of sexual harassment and sexual assault.
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31. No one from AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION, or VICTOR’S
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SERVICES or DOES 3-10 ever contacted Ms. Davis concerning Mr. Rositas’ actions.
16 Upon information and belief, none of these defendants took any action to notify
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other residents of Mr. Rosita’s actions, nor did any defendant take any steps to
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prevent another sexual assault or sexual harassment occurring again at The
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Madison.
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21 32. Although Ms. Davis requested a deadbolt on her door, defendant AIDS
22 HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION, and DOES 2-10 failed to install a deadbolt for over a
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week after the sexual assault.
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33. Upon information and belief, defendant AIDS HEALTHCARE
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COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF
1 continues to do business with TONY ROSITAS at AIDS HEALTHCARE
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FOUNDATION’S other residential rental properties within Los Angeles.
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23 37. At all times relevant herein, the Unruh Civil Rights Act, Civil Code §51
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has provided that “all persons…are free and equal and no matter what their sex…are
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entitled to the full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges, or
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services in all business establishments of every kind whatsoever.”
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COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF
1 38. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s executive and director level
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employees knew, or should have known, that Victor’s Services and/or Tony Rositas,
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and DOES 3-10, were not qualified to conduct repairs in the Madison. Upon
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6 ensure Victor’s Services and Tony Rositas were competent and safe contractors to be
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granted access into womens’ units.
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39. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s executive and director level
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employees knew, or should have known, that DOES 1-10 were not qualified to
11 provide “security” services at the Madison. Upon information and belief, AIDS
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Healthcare Foundation took absolutely no steps to ensure DOES 1-10 were
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competent and safe contractors to be granted access to womens’ units.
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40. Upon information and belief, AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION has
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training in sexual harassment, or gender discrimination.
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41. AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION knew, or should have known,
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especially after the verbal and written reports of sexual harassment at the hands of
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21 contractors or employees at the Madison, that female tenants were unsafe. AIDS
26 ROSITAS was not qualified, and could not be trusted, to be inside of females’ units.
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COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF
1 VICTOR’S SERVICES took absolutely no steps to ensure its employees were
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competent and safe contractors to be granted access into womens’ units.
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43. Upon information and belief, VICTOR’S SERVICES has never provided
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5 any of its employees or contractors who work at the Madison, training in sexual
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female tenants were unsafe. VICTOR’S SERVICES took no reasonable steps to
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known that DOE 2, and the other guards mentioned herein, were not qualified to
16 provide security in the Madison. Upon information and belief, DOE 1 took no steps
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to ensure its employees are competent and safe contractors to be granted access into
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womens’ living units.
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46. Upon information and belief, DOE 1 has never provided any of its
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22 47. DOE 1 knew, or should have known, especially after the verbal and
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written reports of sexual harassment about DOE 1’s employees, that female tenants
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were unsafe. DOE 1 took no reasonable steps to protect its female customers from
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26 DOE 2.
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COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF
1 SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION
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DISCRIMINATION BASED ON GENDER, GOV’T CODE §12955(a)
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(Both Plaintiffs against AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION and DOES 3-10)
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5 48. Plaintiffs Tammy Davis and Annette Turner repeat all above facts, as
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50. Defendant, AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION, and DOES 3-10 have
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rights of the plaintiffs, and/or were an extreme departure from what a reasonable
21 limited to: violation of civil rights; physical assault; embarrassment; fear; anxiety;
22 severe emotional distress; humiliation; and, other general and special damages
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according to proof at trial.
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53. As a result of the above-described actions of AIDS HEALTHCARE
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26 FOUNDATION, and DOES 3-10, Ms. Turner has suffered, and continues to suffer,
27 and will continue to suffer, irreparable loss and injury, including but not limited to:
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COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF
1 violation of her civil rights; embarrassment; fear; anxiety; severe emotional distress;
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humiliation; and, other general and special damages according to proof at trial.
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54. Pursuant to Cal. Gov’t Code §12989.2, Plaintiffs are entitled to
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6 55. Ms. Davis and Ms. Turner seek punitive damages against AIDS
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HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION and DOES 3-10 as the sexual harassment, sex
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discrimination, and sexual assault, were known by these defendants’ executive level
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employees, yet defendants took no reasonable steps to prevent, remedy, or
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(Plaintiff Tammy Davis against Defendant Tony Rositas)
16 56. Plaintiff Tammy Davis repeats the facts she personally alleged above as
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though fully incorporated herein.
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57. Tony Rositas acted with intent to cause harmful and offensive contact of
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Tammy Davis. Mr. Rositas touched Ms. Davis in a harmful, offensive, and non-
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21 consensual way. Mr. Rositas also implied he was going to touch Ms. Davis in the
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COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF
1 59. Any reasonable woman in Ms. Davis’s position would be offended by the
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touching, sexual comments, and threatening and ominous comments.
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60. Ms. Davis seeks compensatory damages and punitive damages against
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B. Punitive and exemplary damages;
11 C. Statutory damages;
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D. For the first cause of action, Tammy Davis seeks from AIDS Healthcare
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Foundation, Victor’s Services, and DOES 3-10, attorneys’ fees and costs for
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prosecuting this action under Civil Code §51 et seq.;
16 E. For the first cause of action, Annette Turner seeks from AIDS Healthcare
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Foundation, DOE 1 and DOES 3-10, attorneys’ fees and costs for
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prosecuting this action under Civil Code §51 et seq.;
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F. For the second cause of action, from AIDS Healthcare Foundation and
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21 DOES 3-10, attorneys’ fees and costs for prosecuting this action, pursuant
27 FOUNDATION and DOES 3-10, their officers, agents and employees to:
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COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF
1 a. Develop, implement, distribute to tenants, and post policies
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concerning gender discrimination and how to make a complaint of
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gender discrimination, in a public place at The Madison, the policies
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5 to be consistent with FEHA (see, Dep’t Fair Empl. & Hous. V. O’Neill,
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on gender discrimination, how to handle gender discrimination
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units. (Id.) This requirement shall apply to Michael Weinstein, Mark
27 wrongdoing, and remedies granted therefor (See, Dept. of Fair Empl. &
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COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF
1 Hous. v. Davis Realty Co., Inc. (Jan 23, 1987) No. 87-02 FEHC
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Precedential Decs. 1986-87, CEB 5, pp. 27-28, 1987 WL 114850, *20
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(Cal. F.E.H.C));
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Plaintiff Tammy Davis against Defendant Tony Rositas
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17 Attorney for Plaintiffs
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COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF
1 DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL
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Plaintiffs hereby request a jury trial on all cause of actions raised in this
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complaint.
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Attorney for Plaintiffs
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COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF