A jury in Fresno, California, awarded over $15 million to two former city employees who successfully sued the city, alleging a racially hostile work environment. The eight-member jury delivered a unanimous verdict, with $15 million going to La-Kebbia “Kiki” Wilson and $400,000 to Charles Smith.
Both were found to be victims of racial discrimination and retaliation within the city’s code enforcement department.
Wilson, a 55-year-old Black woman, testified that a supervisor targeted her because of her race and deliberately made her work more difficult. Following the verdict, an emotional Wilson stated that while the large monetary award was significant, it did not fully compensate for the emotional toll of her experience…