Article from the Minneapolis Star Tribune
Hennepin County District Judge Rules Executive, Meadowbrook Guilty Of Sex Harassment
2 former employees are awarded a total of $136,500 in suit

BY ANN MERRILL
STAFF WRITER

Judge Peter Lindberg of Hennepin County District Court ruled Monday that Samuel Bruce Lansky and Meadowbrook Press were guilty of sexual harassment in a case involving two former employees.

Patricia Kahmann and Cassandra McCullough accused Lansky, owner and chief executive of Meadowbrook; of contributing to and allowing a hostile work environment for women at the company.

The company publishes books on subjects such as pregnancy, childbirth and child care, as well as non-obscene books about sex. According to court records, Kahmann, who worked at Meadowbrook as a production manager, was employed at the Deephaven company for eight months in 1990. McCullough, hired as a production editor, worked at Meadowbrook from May1988 to February 1990.

The two detailed instances in which Lansky used vulgarities, talked about sex acts, grabbed a worker's buttocks and asked for a goodbye kiss.

Lindberg ruled that Kahmann suffered an economic loss of $2,500 and awarded her $15,000 for emotional distress. He also awarded punitive damages of $9,000. McCullough's economic loss was set at $45,000, with $40,000 for emotional distress. Punitive damages of $25,000 were awarded to her.