Spring Break
Staffer to lose big in lawsuit
Coworkers disagree on where to hold materials
CAROLYN CRIST
Issue date: 10/10/08 Section: News
Shetterley decided they would vacate University-owned offices in Lawrenceville in June 2004. Buckner and coworker Tamara Brookover planned to work from home until the end of September.
One of the programs had not been moved to a new office, so when Buckner didn't receive instruction from Shetterley about what to do with leftover materials, she stored them at her home, the largest and closest place to the original office.
Laura Jones, a BOR member, said the decision was "not an uncommon practice" when shifting offices, according to court documents.
In July 2004, University controller George Stafford received information from a citizen who said University employees were spending grant money inappropriately by selling University property on eBay.
University Chief of Police Jimmy Williamson assigned officers Peter Walls and Eric Dellinger to the case.
When Walls and Dellinger visited her home on Aug. 26, 2004, Brookover told police she sold the items on eBay.
The next day, Dellinger, Walls and University internal auditor Dale Wetzelberger visited Buckner, who told police Shetterley knew she worked from home and had the property. She gave the property to the officers.
Shetterley said the next day that she was unaware Buckner had the property. Walls applied for 10 arrest warrants on Sept. 13, 2004 and Buckner turned herself in at Gwinnett County Jail.
Buckner brought a case against Walls, Dellinger, Williamson and Shetterley, saying her Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights to be free from false arrest and malicious prosecution were violated, according to documents.
The District Court dropped the case against Walls and Dellinger on June 12, 2006 and granted them qualified immunity for acting in official capacities. A lawsuit against a state official is considered a suit against the state, which is against the Eleventh Amendment.
U.S. District Court Judge Clayton Land said in court documents that evidence shows "Shetterley possessed e-mails, at least one of which was from a party other than [Buckner], that directly refuted Shetterley's statements that all leftover equipment was supposed to be sent" to a program office instead of Buckner's home.
A jury decided Buckner will receive $1.265 million in compensatory damages and $10,000 in punitive damages.
Shetterley, senior public service associate for Continuing Education learning services, was unavailable for comment Thursday.
One of the programs had not been moved to a new office, so when Buckner didn't receive instruction from Shetterley about what to do with leftover materials, she stored them at her home, the largest and closest place to the original office.
Laura Jones, a BOR member, said the decision was "not an uncommon practice" when shifting offices, according to court documents.
In July 2004, University controller George Stafford received information from a citizen who said University employees were spending grant money inappropriately by selling University property on eBay.
University Chief of Police Jimmy Williamson assigned officers Peter Walls and Eric Dellinger to the case.
When Walls and Dellinger visited her home on Aug. 26, 2004, Brookover told police she sold the items on eBay.
The next day, Dellinger, Walls and University internal auditor Dale Wetzelberger visited Buckner, who told police Shetterley knew she worked from home and had the property. She gave the property to the officers.
Shetterley said the next day that she was unaware Buckner had the property. Walls applied for 10 arrest warrants on Sept. 13, 2004 and Buckner turned herself in at Gwinnett County Jail.
Buckner brought a case against Walls, Dellinger, Williamson and Shetterley, saying her Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights to be free from false arrest and malicious prosecution were violated, according to documents.
The District Court dropped the case against Walls and Dellinger on June 12, 2006 and granted them qualified immunity for acting in official capacities. A lawsuit against a state official is considered a suit against the state, which is against the Eleventh Amendment.
U.S. District Court Judge Clayton Land said in court documents that evidence shows "Shetterley possessed e-mails, at least one of which was from a party other than [Buckner], that directly refuted Shetterley's statements that all leftover equipment was supposed to be sent" to a program office instead of Buckner's home.
A jury decided Buckner will receive $1.265 million in compensatory damages and $10,000 in punitive damages.
Shetterley, senior public service associate for Continuing Education learning services, was unavailable for comment Thursday.
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