A second lawsuit has been filed against Timothy Pearson, a top aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, alleging discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation. The lawsuit was filed by retired NYPD sergeant Michael Ferrari in the New York Supreme Court in Manhattan. This comes after another retired NYPD sergeant, Roxanne Ludemann, claimed harassment and retaliation against Pearson in a previous lawsuit.
While Ferrari did not report unwanted advances from Pearson, he stated that he witnessed or was informed of Pearson sexually harassing female colleagues in the Mayor's Office of Municipal Services Assessment. The lawsuit also mentioned that Ferrari was assigned to monitor Pearson's behavior around women in the office.
The complaint highlighted a hostile work environment due to the alleged sexual harassment, affecting all team members. Following a confrontation regarding the allegations, Ferrari claimed he was demoted back to patrol, leading to significant financial losses and his decision to retire from the NYPD.
The lawsuit also mentioned a comment allegedly made by Pearson regarding a scrapped migrant shelter project, leading to him being referred to as 'Crumbs' by colleagues. The lawsuit further stated that Pearson seemed to have influence within the NYPD without proper oversight.
City officials have been contacted for comments on the lawsuit but have not responded yet. An NYPD spokesperson mentioned that they would review the lawsuit once served, emphasizing the importance of holding all public servants to high standards.
Overall, the lawsuits against Pearson have raised concerns about workplace behavior and accountability within the NYPD and the Mayor's Office. The legal proceedings will shed more light on the allegations and the actions taken by the authorities in response to the claims.