Biggest Creditor in Journal Register Bankruptcy Won $4 Million Suit

By: Mark Fitzgerald The biggest unsecured creditor in Journal Register Co.'s bankruptcy is a former telemarketing manager who was awarded $4 million in a lawsuit contending she was fired by the New Haven (Conn.) Register for refusing to cover up sexual harassment by another employee.

Terri Tucker of Westport, Conn., is owed $4.5 million according to the list of creditor Journal Register filed with its bankruptcy petition Saturday. The amount is listed as "contingent" and "disputed."

In July, a jury in federal court awarded her $1 in compensatory damages and $3 million in punitive damages against the Register's parent Journal Register.

Tucker contended she was fired in retaliation after becoming involved in a sexual harassment case against another employees. Tucker, the manager of the Register call center, had been scheduled to be the newspaper's chief witness against an employee who accused a male employee of sexual harassment.

But Tucker said she later saw the accused employee making sexual comments and lewd gestures. She alerted supervisors, and said she would not defend the company's position in the harassment case.

Journal Register contended, however, that Tucker was fired for misusing an office telephone that accepted collect calls.

Among the biggest creditors are the estate of former Journal Register CEO Robert M. Jelenic, which is owed $749,311, and Frank Shepard, the former Michigan newspaper publisher, who is owed $586,121.