Gay LAPD Seargant Wins $1m in Discrimination Suit

A jury on Thursday awarded $1.1 million to a Los Angeles police sergeant and media relations spokesman who said he had been harassed and suffered retaliation after complaining that a supervisor mistreated him because he is gay.

Sgt. Ronald Crump sued the city last year, alleging that his direct supervisor at the Los Angeles Police Department Media Relations Section -- Lt. John Romero -- made derogatory remarks about his homosexuality. Romero, who has since been promoted to captain, allegedly described him as "the new Ruby minus the heels," in reference to the woman he replaced in the unit.

On another occasion, Romero allegedly told him, "I was a religion major at Liberty University. Jerry Falwell would roll over in his grave if he knew I had hired you."(keep reading)