Motivation for eavesdropping #139: Retaliation Against Employees
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Two Kern High School District police officers are suing the district and former acting police chief David Edmiston. Gilbert Valdez and Jerald Wyatt claim their investigation that revealed thousands of illegal searches of a police database and eventually let to the chief eavesdropping on them.
During the investigation, it was determined school officials were running inquiries on employees, job applicants, students, parents and athletic competitors. They also allegedly maintained a slush fund, in which the district collected fees from towed vehicles and used that money for parties. Additionally, there were allegedly a hundred unreported arrests. The investigation was handed off to the sheriff’s department.
When the district was made aware, Valdez and Wyatt claim there was retaliation including secret recordings of them, threats of physical violence and denial of employment opportunities. The men claim they suffered humiliation, emotional distress, physical pain and damage to their reputations.
Edmiston took a plea deal after the district attorney’s office filed four misdemeanor counts of eavesdropping. He was accused of secretly recording confidential conversations. Edmiston pleaded no contest to one eavesdropping charge.
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