County Supervisors Settle Sex Harassment Suit by Deputy

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday agreed to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit for $750,000 with a former Sheriff’s Department deputy who said her supervisor at Pitchess Detention Center continually made sexual advances and once touched her breast.

The board voted unanimously--and without discussion--to pay Charlotte Landolfi as part of the settlement agreement.

County attorneys suggested settling after warning that a jury might have awarded Landolfi as much as $3.57 million for what the former deputy described as constant harassment, which made it impossible for her to continue working.

The supervisor, whose name has not been released, has been placed on administrative leave pending the results of a Sheriff’s Department investigation, a department spokesman said.

An earlier internal investigation concluded that there was no evidence of sexual harassment. The Sheriff’s Department declined to comment on the case.

Neither Landolfi nor her attorney could be reached for comment Tuesday.

Landolfi, who received a disability retirement from the county in October 1995, has been treated by a psychologist. According to the report, the harassment has caused her to suffer severe emotional distress, depression, headaches, loss of self-esteem, recurring nightmares and chronic fatigue syndrome.