A little over two weeks ago in this space, we wrote about the ongoing legal disputes between nightclub and restaurant executive Michael Morton and the Palms casino-hotel.
With news of employment litigation now proceeding against Morton, his legal problems have suddenly become more complex. On Dec. 13, a fired employee filed a sexual harassment suit against Morton and his N9NE Group, which runs clubs and restaurants at the Palms in Las Vegas.
The Las Vegas Sun reports that a former art director for N9NE, Leslie Culler, alleges she was fired this summer because she rejected sexual advances by Morton and other N9NE executives.
Morton is in litigation with Palms owner George Maloof Jr. over allegations of wrongdoing involving their joint venture, N-M Ventures. That joint venture was named as one of the defendants in Culler’s suit.
Her sexual harassment suit makes allegations detailing a wide variety of sexual advances by Morton and other men employed by N9NE:
- Culler claims she was repeatedly grabbed and touched inappropriately by Morton and others during company functions
- Culler alleges Morton held her at a work-related party at the Palms and attempted to kiss her
- In another alleged incident, Morton is said to have “brutishly grabbed the defenseless plaintiff’s breasts”
- Culler also claims Morton grabbed her buttocks
- Another executive is accused of offering the plaintiff money to expose herself to him
- One of Morton’s business partners is also alleged to have inappropriately touched her breasts
Culler alleges that employees who participated in sexual encounters with Morton were rewarded and those who declined were punished.
The plaintiff alleges more than 200 instances of sexual harassment in her eight years of employment.
Resource: Las Vegas Sun: “Nightclub executive, company hit with sexual harassment lawsuit”: December 13, 2010
