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Court documents reveal lawsuit allegations against Branch County prosecutor

Posted at 10:06 PM, Nov 22, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-22 22:09:01-05

BRANCH COUNTY, Mich. — Court documents obtained by FOX 17 detail the accusations a former court employee is making against Branch County Prosecuting Attorney Ralph Kimble, in a sexual-harassment lawsuit filed last month.

According to the documents, the plaintiff (accusor) claims she and other women were “subjected to sexual discrimination by the sexually hostile work environment created by, and maintained by, the prosecutor.”

She says the prosecutor’s actions were “intentional and malicious”, and she was wrongfully terminated after 25 years on the job.

The complaint alleges verbal misconduct by Prosecutor Kimble, as well as “unwanted touching and rubbing of plaintiff”. Supposedly, there was taunting, jokes, communications and unwelcome comments of a sexual nature, as well. And the former court employee also alleges she was asked to engage in sex with the prosecutor within days of her husband’s death.

The suit says the harassment continued for years, and the plaintiff was afraid to file complaints because of the prosecutor’s “volatile temper” and propensity for retaliation. She says she’s lost substantial income because of the alleged offenses.

According to the court documents, the alleged victim is seeking job reinstatement, back wages that were lost, payment for legal fees and costs, and an additional $25,000 in compensatory damages.

FOX 17 has reached out to the Prosecutor’s Office for comment, and await a response.