Spring Break
Staffer to lose big in lawsuit
Coworkers disagree on where to hold materials
CAROLYN CRIST
Issue date: 10/10/08 Section: News
A former University staff member was awarded nearly $1.3 million Thursday in a federal lawsuit against her former supervisor - the University's head of the grants and contracts department.
Terrie Buckner, former project director of grants, claimed she was arrested and charged 10 felony counts of theft by taking on false information Karen Shetterley gave police in 2004. The case was decided Thursday after a three-day trial.
Buckner said she was "arrested without probable cause for allegedly stealing her employer's property," according to court documents filed June 12.
"Shetterley convinced UGA Police to take warrants for [Buckner's] arrest, but it wasn't UGA property and there was no basis for the charges," Lee Parks, Buckner's attorney of Parks, Chesin & Walbert in Atlanta, said in phone interview Thursday afternoon. "But she lost two jobs - one as an adjunct professor at Shorter College - and there were pretty horrific damages."
The "jury responded aggressively" Thursday, Parks said. "She can't get a job in education and works for a private company now, but hopefully with this verdict she can get back into education."
The University will file an appeal on Shetterley's behalf for "issues left to be determined" in court, Tom Jackson, vice president for public affairs, said Thursday afternoon.
Buckner filed the lawsuit in September 2006 after the Gwinnett County District Attorney's office dismissed charges against her in July 2005.
As an educator specializing in early childhood education work force development, Buckner worked under Shetterley as project director for Advancing Careers through Education Training, a professional development program for early childhood educators that oversees 12 individual programs.
In August 2003, the Board of Regents learned the state would not fund the last year of a grant for the program, so the board decided to spend the remaining funds by purchasing equipment and supplies and split them among the 12 programs, according to documents.
Terrie Buckner, former project director of grants, claimed she was arrested and charged 10 felony counts of theft by taking on false information Karen Shetterley gave police in 2004. The case was decided Thursday after a three-day trial.
Buckner said she was "arrested without probable cause for allegedly stealing her employer's property," according to court documents filed June 12.
"Shetterley convinced UGA Police to take warrants for [Buckner's] arrest, but it wasn't UGA property and there was no basis for the charges," Lee Parks, Buckner's attorney of Parks, Chesin & Walbert in Atlanta, said in phone interview Thursday afternoon. "But she lost two jobs - one as an adjunct professor at Shorter College - and there were pretty horrific damages."
The "jury responded aggressively" Thursday, Parks said. "She can't get a job in education and works for a private company now, but hopefully with this verdict she can get back into education."
The University will file an appeal on Shetterley's behalf for "issues left to be determined" in court, Tom Jackson, vice president for public affairs, said Thursday afternoon.
Buckner filed the lawsuit in September 2006 after the Gwinnett County District Attorney's office dismissed charges against her in July 2005.
As an educator specializing in early childhood education work force development, Buckner worked under Shetterley as project director for Advancing Careers through Education Training, a professional development program for early childhood educators that oversees 12 individual programs.
In August 2003, the Board of Regents learned the state would not fund the last year of a grant for the program, so the board decided to spend the remaining funds by purchasing equipment and supplies and split them among the 12 programs, according to documents.
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