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| Two in Conn. DOC Placed on Leave Amid Claims of Sexual Harassment |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 10/28/2002 |
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Department of Correction officials have placed a warden and one of his subordinates on administrative leave after they were accused of sexual harassment, The Hartford Courant reported Friday. Nelvin Levester, warden at the Hartford Correctional Center, was placed on paid leave Thursday, and Maj. Donald Guilbert was placed on paid leave last Friday, the newspaper reported. The actions come as the Correction Department faces criticism of its handling of sexual harassment complaints within the agency. Correction Department authorities would not provide details of the allegations against Levester and Guilbert. They said the men were involved in unrelated incidents that included sexual harassment. The Courant, citing department sources it did not identify, reported that Levester, a 20-year veteran, is accused of asking his secretary if she would have sex with him or someone else for $1 million. The newspaper also reported that sources said Guilbert is the subject of three separate complaints from three female staff members. Levester could not be reached for comment early Friday. His home telephone number was not listed. Guilbert told The Associated Press early Friday that he was not familiar with sexual harassment allegations against himself. Asked about the administrative leave, he deferred questions to Levester. On Wednesday, Gov. John G. Rowland called on state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal to investigate ongoing sexual harassment complaints within the Department of Correction and evaluate the agency's affirmative action unit. The department's handling of sexual harassment complaints is under investigation by the state Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. The agency is also the subject of two lawsuits filed by two groups of female correction officers. A coalition of women's groups and prison officer union officials are planning to rally in front of the governor's mansion Monday to protest sexual harassment within the department. Tom Mulhall, president of correction officers union Local 1565, and others question Blumenthal's ability to be impartial because his office is defending the state against the sexual harassment lawsuits. Mulhall said the actions against Levester and Guilbert are a good first step toward addressing the problem. ''It's nice to see that the department is finally giving sexual harassment the attention that it deserves,'' Mulhall said. |
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