Mass AG Files Suits, Obtains Civil Rights Injunctions Involving Discrimination, Harassment Allegations Affecting Victims' Housing Rights

From the Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General:

• Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office has obtained a civil rights injunction against a Norwood woman, Deborah May, based on allegations of her repeated and severe harassment and intimidation of a gay neighbor.(1) The order [...] prohibits May from threatening, intimidating, or coercing the victim or anyone else in the Commonwealth on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation. It further prevents May from contacting or communicating with the victim or his family and requires her to stay at least 500 yards from his place of employment.

For more, see Attorney General Martha Coakley Obtains Civil Rights Injunction Against Norwood Woman for Severe Harassment and Intimidation of Neighbor.

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• Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office obtained a civil rights injunction against two Holyoke brothers, Jesse and Roman Jedrzejczyk, who are accused of harassing, threatening and intimidating their neighbors, a single mother and her two six year-old daughters. The adult victim is a political asylee to the United States who, in 2001, fled political persecution in Haiti out of fear for her life.(2) The order [...] prohibits the Jedrzejczyks from threatening, intimidating or coercing the victims, or anyone else in the Commonwealth, because of their actual or perceived race or ethnicity. The order also prohibits the Jedrzejczyks from knowingly coming within ten feet of the victims.

For more, see AG Obtains Civil Rights Injunction Against Holyoke Brothers for Harassment and Intimidation of Neighbors.

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• Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office obtained a civil rights injunction against a Pittsfield woman, Tammy L. Haddad, accused of harassing, threatening and intimidating a family living next door on the basis of their race.(3) The order [...] prohibits Haddad from threatening, intimidating or coercing the victims, or anyone else in the Commonwealth, on the basis of their actual or perceived race. The order further prevents Haddad from knowingly coming within 20 feet of the victims and their family and or within 500 yards of the place of employment of the victims.

For more, see Attorney General Martha Coakley Obtains Civil Rights Injunction Against Woman Accused of Racial Harassment and Intimidation of Neighbors.

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According to AG Coakley's office, violations of the above-referenced orders are criminal offenses punishable by a fine of up to $5,000 and two and a half years in a House of Correction, or if bodily injury results from such a violation, a $10,000 fine and up to 10 years in State Prison. Among AG Coakley's comments when making the above announcements:

• “Bias-motivated conduct, such as the harassment and intimidation we allege in this case, are devastating to victims not only because of the immediate physical and emotional harm they cause, but because feelings of fear, anxiety and profound loss of personal security often last far longer than the incident. Beyond their impact on individual victims, hate crimes and other forms of bias-motivated activity are very detrimental to communities, and this type of behavior will not be tolerated.”

• “All Massachusetts residents are entitled to live in their homes and raise their families free from the type of bias-motivated harassment and intimidation alleged [...]. Victims and their communities suffer when racial harassment goes unchecked, and this type of behavior will not be tolerated.”

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(1) According to the complaint, Deborah May allegedly continually harassed the victim who is a tenant in the apartment building where May also resides. In November 2007, May allegedly began spreading false rumors that the victim is a sexual predator and pedophile. The complaint further states that six months later, May complained to her landlords about the victim’s display of a gay pride flag outside of his apartment and had the flag removed. Soon thereafter, on multiple occasions, May screamed anti-gay epithets at the victim in the presence of other tenants and physically confronted the victim in the yard of his home. The complaint further alleges that on August 31, 2008, May made a baseless report to the Norwood Police Department falsely claiming that the victim had exposed himself. As a result of May’s alleged pattern of harassment and intimidation, the victim feared for his safety and well-being at home and was forced to alter his daily routine and other behavior in order to avoid May.

(2) According to the complaint, the Jedrzejczyks repeatedly and regularly harassed the victims using racial slurs and threats over the course of the past three years. The defendants’ actions have caused the victim to become concerned for her personal safety after threats were made to break her windshield. In addition, a “For Sale” sign was placed in front of her house. The intimidation culminated recently when the victim responded to racial slurs being directed at her by imploring Jesse Jedrzejczyk to leave her alone. In response, Mr. Jedrzejczyk threatened, “I will never leave you alone until you move. If you don’t move, I’ll move you!” The Commonwealth’s lawsuit alleges the Jedrzejczyks’ bias-motivated harassment has seriously interfered with the victims’ ability to live and feel safe at home.

(3) According to the complaint, Haddad allegedly engaged in a campaign of racial harassment and intimidation by regularly directing racial epithets and racist imagery against her African-American neighbors. The complaint further alleges that Haddad filed baseless complaints with law enforcement agencies against one of the victims and repeatedly interfered with her neighbor’s property. The Commonwealth alleges that Ms. Haddad’s bias-motivated acts significantly interfered with her neighbors’ right to use and enjoy their home free from harassment and intimidation.