Employment Discrimination Trial Begins for DJ Fired from Local Radio Station Hot 93.7
In 2003, a local Connecticut radio station, Hot 93.7 (WZMX) fired its prominent DJ - Wendell (JD) Houston. Five years later, a federal court trial regarding Houston's claims that his termination was due to discrimination have just started. 
As with all such matters, the allegations are complicated and contested. Thus, as always, a word of caution to the readers that allegations are not facts. Both sides are presenting their case now and it will be that evidence that the jury will consider -- not what the parties tell the media.
The Associated Press takes a shot at trying to summarize a five-year old case into several paragraphs in this story, reprinted in the Hartford Courant today.
Ratings soared when WZMX-FM Hot 93.7 switched from "dancing oldies" to an edgier hip hop, but behind the on-air banter racial tensions were rising among the stars at the Farmington radio station.Wendell "JD" Houston, the show's black host, says a figure depicting the lynching of a black man was left dangling from his microphone and racist posters were hung at the station. He says the station hired him in 2000 under pressure to diversify, but denied him promotional appearances and favored his white co-host when the pair clashed.
"The defendants wanted an Uncle Tom, a black person who would remain behind the radio microphone and be heard but not seen," Houston's attorneys wrote in a federal racial discrimination lawsuit that heads to trial Tuesday in Hartford.
CBS Radio, which owns the station, says Houston has no direct evidence of discrimination and the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities dismissed a complaint he filed in 2002.
Houston was let go in 2003 after he was accused of cursing at his co-host, sexually harassing another colleague and constantly fighting with his supervisors and others at the station, the station says. They say he sent a note to the woman who accused him of sexual harassment titled "vengeance upon adversaries" that quoted the Bible.
Articles like this, although well meaning, do a disservice to the readers because they are unable to provide readers with the full context of the case. Evidence that may never be presented to the jury is treated as "fact", which -- as highlighted above -- it is not.
Thus, as a service and as background to the key points likely to be made by both sides in this trial, I'd suggest first reviewing the papers submitted to the court on a motion for summary judgment. Infinity Radio's Motion for Summary Judgment is here, Houston's brief opposing it is here, and Infinity Radio's reply is here. Two years after the motion for summary judgment was filed in 2004, the Court denied the motion in a summary order here. However, its fair to say that both sides will be relying on much of the same evidence at trial and letting a jury decide.
Where things get interesting is actually in the parties' joint trial memorandum filed in the fall of 2006. Both sides have indicated that they may put on witnesses that are quite clearly in the public eye, including other radio personalities ("DJ Buck", "Kid Fresh" and Jeanine Jersey, for example) and community leaders (like former Hartford School Board Chair, Rev. Wayne Carter).
The court records indicate that they were only able to get barely started yesterday on the trial so, according to the parties' own statements, this trial (presided by Judge Alvin Thompson) should last at least another week or two. Houston is being represented by Frances Miniter and Infinity Radio has brought in Proskauer Rose out of their Boston office.
I won't pretend that I've listened to the station that much -- I'm a bit more attached to XM Radio these days -- but it is not often that radio and television stations make their own headlines. "Stay tuned" for further developments.
