The City of Palmdale has agreed to a $5.25 million settlement with three employees who say they were “terrorized” by former City Manager J.J. Murphy.
The lawsuit was filed in 2022 by Deputy City Manager Michael Behen, Human Resources Manager Patricia Nevarez, and City Clerk Shanae Smith.
The plaintiffs alleged that Murphy retaliated against them after they raised questions about city contracts and alleged misconduct in the workplace. Murphy, who brought a concealed firearm to work, left them in fear for their lives, they said. The lawsuit claimed one elected official even wore a bulletproof vest to a council meeting out of concern for their safety. At one point, the plaintiffs claim the city advised them to take leaves of absence to protect themselves.
The plaintiffs also accused Murphy of using city funds to keep a sex scandal under wraps. Murphy had allegedly been captured on video receiving oral sex at a spa. Someone later circulated the video throughout City Hall. In a separate lawsuit, Murphy accused an elected official of distributing the recording to hurt his reputation.
Murphy was terminated in 2022 without cause. He filed a wrongful termination claim, and Palmdale agreed to pay him $2.23 million.
In a statement Palmdale called the latest settlements a “fair compromise based on the totality of the facts.” But Murphy’s attorney Kevin Shenkman said the payouts should not be construed as wrongdoing on the part of his client.
“Ultimately, you have a city that doesn’t want to go to trial on anything, so they pay out whatever money it takes to not go to trial,” he told the Pasadena Star.
Shenkman ought to know. He was one of the lawyers who sued the city over its at-large election system in 2014. As part of a settlement, Palmdale agreed to pay $4.5 million in attorney’s fees.