Sep 19, 2007 9:56 am US/Eastern
Judge: 'Weak Case' Made Against Isiah Thomas
NEW YORK (AP) ―
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U.S. District Court Judge Gerard Lynch called the defense's case in the Isiah Thomas sexual harassment trial "weak."
AP
Attorneys for a Madison Square Garden executive accusing Isiah Thomas of sexual harassment presented a "weak case" that the New York Knicks coach was involved in the woman's firing, a federal judge said Wednesday.
"Of all the claims in this case, this is the one that looks to be a stretch," said U.S. District Court Judge Gerard Lynch.
Lynch nonetheless denied a defense motion to dismiss that claim in Anucha Browne Sanders' $10 million lawsuit against Thomas and Madison Square Garden.
On Tuesday, the jury viewed a videotaped deposition by Garden Chairman James Dolan, in which he said he fired Browne Sanders without speaking to lawyers.
"All decisions at the Garden I make on my own," said Dolan.
Dolan also was asked in his deposition about the appropriateness of using the term "bitch" in the workplace.
"No, it's not appropriate," he said. "It is also not appropriate to murder anyone. I don't think that that has happened either."
After Lynch's ruling, the defense opened its case with Steve Mills, MSG Sports president and CEO.
Mills testified that although Browne Sanders leveled several complaints against Thomas in e-mails to him, she never complained of any profane language or inappropriate sexual conduct.
"There was always tension in the relationship, business relationship, between Isiah and Anucha," Mills testified.
On Tuesday, lawyers for Sanders Browne rested their case after four days of testimony portraying Thomas as a foul-mouthed lout who loathed and then loved her.
Lawyers for Browne Sanders wrapped her case up with friends and family recounting conversations where she detailed Thomas' behavior -- from cursing her out to proclaiming his love for her, all in the space of a few months.
Browne Sanders, a married mother of three and former Northwestern basketball star, joined the Knicks in late 2000. The vice president of marketing and business operations was fired in January 2006; she claimed the dismissal came after she complained to MSG management.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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