WRONGFUL TERMINATION: Jury Rejects NBA Legend’s Wrongful Termination Charges

March 31, 2011

Los Angeles – A 12-member jury on Wednesday has unanimously rejected NBA Hall of Famer and LA Clippers’ former general manager Elgin Baylor’s wrongful termination lawsuit against the team’s owner Donald T. Sterling and President Andy Roeser.

The jury which composed of seven men and five women deliberated for less than four hours and voted 12-0 to all of Baylor’s claims. Jury foreman John Casani said they believed that the actions taken by the Clippers were not based on Baylor's age and that the team just needed to “make a change in that position.”

A few jurors believed that Baylor should be given some financial award based on sympathy. However, he was employed at-will and had to be reasonably discharged, especially since the Clippers made it only four times in the playoffs during his 22-year supervision.

One of the jurors, Jacob Lopez, said he contended for Baylor to receive payoff because the team still committed some unpleasant actions against the former general manager, including Roeser's e-mail stating that Baylor is “still not getting any younger.”

Robert Platt, attorney for the Clippers, said his clients are still willing to give Baylor the $10,000 monthly consultant's deal they offered in 2008, but Alvin J. Pittman, Baylor’s attorney, called it just “a public show to color the jury's thinking.” Pittman added that they would probably appeal the decision.

Baylor, 76, claimed in his lawsuit that he was harassed and subjected to age discrimination by the defendants, causing him to leave the team in 2008. The long-time head of player personnel and executive vice president sought about $2 million worth of economic and mental distress damages. Claims of racism were also filed along with the wrongful termination, but it was dropped before the trial.