WARDEN DEMOTED FOR SHOW AT PRISON CRITICS SAY WOMEN, OTHERS DEGRADED.Byline: Jim Skeen Staff Writer LANCASTER - The warden of the state prison in Lancaster is being demoted as the result of a controversy concerning sexually explicit and racial material from comics who performed at the facility in May. Warden Charles Harrison Charles Harrison may refer to:
n. One who reveals wrongdoing within an organization to the public or to those in positions of authority: "The Pentagon's most famous whistleblower is . . complaint. The show and other alleged incidents of sexual harassment sexual harassment, in law, verbal or physical behavior of a sexual nature, aimed at a particular person or group of people, especially in the workplace or in academic or other institutional settings, that is actionable, as in tort or under equal-opportunity statutes. will be the subject of a hearing next week, said Assemblyman Rudy Bermudez, D-Norwalk, chairman of the Select Committee on Prison Construction and Operations. ``They created a hostile work environment A hostile work environment exists when an employee experiences workplace harassment and fears going to work because of the offensive, intimidating, or oppressive atmosphere generated by the harasser. in which female guards were placed in jeopardy by comedians' sexually suggestive material,'' Bermudez said. The performance featured comedians who have been featured on Comedy Central and BET television networks, including Yvette Obiefule, Joe Arrigoni, Michael Boner, John Gold, Toby Williams, Dave Summers and Matthew Stasukevich. The show was staged for about 300 minimum-security inmates. At one point in the performance, one of the comics asked the male inmates how many packs of cigarettes a female would be worth, referring to two female Corrections Department employees who were at the facility at the time, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a whistle-blower complaint filed May 18 by Lt. Charles Hughes Charles Hughes may refer to:
Both female employees were offended and left the area after that comment, according to Hughes' complaint. A union representative, Hughes has filed 22 complaints in regard to the prison's operations. At another point in the performance, a female comic wore a sexual toy. Assemblywoman Sharon Runner, R-Lancaster, said she viewed a videotape of the performance and found the show appalling. ``It was the most degrading video I have ever seen for African-Americans, women, Muslims. It (the performance) should have been stopped,'' Runner said. Jim Skeen, (661) 267-5743 james.skeen(at)dailynews.com |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion