A former San Francisco District Attorney's Office employee, Jovan Thomas, has taken legal action against the city and his ex-employer following a controversial email incident that led to the termination of his position, as reported by East Bay Times. Thomas, previously serving as a victim advocate, mistakenly replied to an office-wide email with an inappropriate remark intended for a personal friend, which read, "what color panties you have on." According to a statement obtained by East Bay Times, he promptly apologized for the mishap. However, by the day's end, he was informed his employment was over, with details later emerging that branded his exit as a firing due to "misogynistic behavior."
As detailed in court documents published by Courthouse News Service, Thomas's complaint alleges defamation along with other claims, suggesting that the DA's office made public statements that were not only damaging but also false and malicious at heart. What followed was a media portrayal that perhaps overlooked the potential for an accidental click leading to the unraveling of a man's career. The lawsuit is seeking both compensatory and punitive damages through a jury trial.
Further complicating Thomas's narrative, the incident dredged up his past allegations of sexual harassment as The Standard uncovered a 2018 lawsuit wherein a plaintiff accused Thomas of taking advantage of her sexually while he was supposed to be providing her with victim support services. In this earlier complaint, the harassment allegedly began when Thomas "stroked" the plaintiff's butt during a meeting at the office, an interaction followed by additional overtures that blurred professional boundaries, with the plaintiff fearing denial of services if she rejected his advances.
This history of allegations paints a troubling picture of Thomas's tenure at the DA's office. According to the report by The Standard, the plaintiff eventually asked to be reassigned to another advocate due to concerns over Thomas's continued solicitations and the leverage of sensitive information to belittle her, a set of circumstances which, at its core further complicates Thomas's recently filed litigious pushback against his firing.
Randy Quezada, a spokesperson for the DA's Office, emphasized in a statement provided to The Standard, "This misogynistic behavior violates the office’s code of conduct and this individual has been terminated." This reflects a stance harbored by the department regarding such behavioral breaches.
