Ex-City Council President Charles Pugh doesn't think he should pay the $250,000 a jury awarded an ex-Detroit student who sued Pugh in federal court for sexually harassing him and grooming him for sex.
Tresa Baldas of the Detroit Free Press reports that Pugh claims in federal court documents that he shouldn't have to pay the ex-student because he's already getting $350,000 from the Detroit Public Schools in the same case. The school district, which was a co-defendant in Pugh's case, dropped out on the second day of trial and agreed to an out-of-court settlement of $350,000.
Pugh claims the ex-student, now 20, can't double dip.
"Plaintiff suffered a single injury and is only allowed one recovery," Pugh's lawyer, Marc Deldin, wrote in a Nov. 13 court filing. "... only one recovery for a single injury is allowed under Michigan law."
Bill Seikaly, the attorney for the ex-student, disagrees and writes that Michigan law is not applicable in this case, and says Pugh "cannot set-off his damages for the simple reason that he was found liable" for intentionally harming his client, while the DPS's conduct was "non-intentional," the Freep reports.
