REPEATED HORSEPLAY WITH TASER LEADS TO LAWSUIT

Texas State Representative Patricia Harless and her husband claim this is a frivolous lawsuit. But the horseplay with a Taser by her husband and two other employees were posted on You Tube. I suggest that Pat and her husband seek a quick settlement out of court. And in my opinion, the hapless victim deserves a hefty award.

HOUSTON MAN SUES STATE LAWMAKER OVER WORKPLACE TASER ATTACKS
Texas lawmaker's former employee was tazed "dozens" of times by boss, coworkers, suit alleges

By Kristen Butler

UPI
August 12, 2013

A Texas lawmaker's former employee alleges coworkers and management attacked him with a Taser repeatedly -- and in front of customers -- and posted videos of the attacks on YouTube.

Bradley Jones filed suit last week against state GOP Rep. Patricia Harless, who owns Fred Fincher Motors in Houston, and her husband, Sam Harless, who served as general manager, as well as two employees for assault and battery, and failure to provide a safe workplace.

Jones, 45, says that over the last nine months coworkers have conducted sneak attacks and shot him with a stun gun more than two dozen times -- posting the incidents to YouTube.

Jones, who had worked at the car dealership since 2009, said his boss, Sam Harless, provided the stun gun for the employees and held the camera on several occasions. The videos posted on YouTube have since been removed.

In one video, Jones can be seen sitting at his desk as an employee sneaks up behind him and shoots him with the stun gun. Off camera, several employees and the camera operator can be heard laughing uproariously.

The attacks wore on, but Jones couldn't quit, he said, because he was trying to buy a home. But the tazings took a toll.

"I was constantly looking behind my shoulder, distracted, couldn’t sleep," Jones said. "I would even look behind my shower curtain at home."

Sam Harless released a statement saying the lawsuit is "frivolous."

"I’m just happy that I’m an American and I’m in a country where the justice system works," Harless said. "This is a frivolous lawsuit -- once the facts come out, it will be thrown out."

He did not give any indication what facts might dispute the video evidence, but Rep. Harless backed him up in a statement released over the weekend saying the "news accounts and videos do not depict the full story."

"I was notified 4 days ago that a lawsuit was filed by a former employee who was terminated for cause from Fred Fincher Motors," said Rep. Harless, adding that legislative duties kept her away from day-to-day operations.

"We will fully investigate the allegations," Rep. Harless said. "We have faith in our legal system and are confident of the outcome once all the facts are known."

For Jones, it's hard to imagine what cause would justify using a Taser on a man seated at his desk. "It was unacceptable,” Jones said. “It was hurtful. It was wrong."