With the Rev. William Barber and other members of the NCNAACP surrounding her for support. Jazmyne Childs tearfully told reporters in Sept. 2019 about allegedly being sexually harassed by Curtis Gatewood. After amor seven years, Ms. Childs settled her $20 million lawsuit against Gatewood, the NAACP, and NAACP Pres./CEO Derrick Johnson.
WOMAN WHO CLAIMED
SEXUAL HARRASSMENT
SETTLES WITH NAACP
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
The woman who filed a $20 million sexual harassment lawsuit in February 2020 against Rev. Curtis Gatewood, the national NAACP, and national NAACP Pres, Derrick Johnson, has settled her legal action for a “substantial” undisclosed amount, sources say.
For Jazmyne Childs, 31, the settlement ends almost seven years of trauma since she first accused Gatewood, once her supervisor at the NC NAACP, of sexually harassing her on the job. With the help of then NC NAACP Pres. Rev. William Barber and other state NAACP officials, Ms. Childs' allegations were investigated by the state conference and to the national NAACP office, but nothing was reportedly done to address her concerns for two years.
She eventually sued Gatewood and the national NAACP in Durham Superior Court for $15 million, for several claims of battery, assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Ms. Childs later added $5 million more to her lawsuit, targeting national NAACP Pres. Derrick Johnson for disparaging comments he reportedly made about her at the 2019 NC NAACP Convention in Winston Salem.
Since 2020, the trial has been postponed several times, the last because one of Ms. Childs’ attorneys, Harvey Kennedy of the Winston Salem law firm of Kennedy, Kennedy & Kennedy LLC, was seriously injured in a car accident. It was thought that the trial might commence in 2024, but last week, Ms. Childs decided that she'd waited long enough for resolution, and directed her attorneys to settle the case.
On Saturday, one of Ms. Childs’ attorneys, Geeta Kapur, issued the following statement of behalf of Jazmyne Childs:
THE SETTLEMENT OF Jazmyne Childs v. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Curtis E. Gatewood, and Derrick Johnson
DURHAM COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT No. 20 CVS 1906
Statement by: Jazmyne Childs
November 18, 2023
Recently, my lawyers engaged in settlement discussions with the National NAACP only. After much thought, after seven long years, I have decided to close this awful chapter of my life and move forward toward my future. I accepted the settlement offer from the National NAACP. It is the right legal, moral, and spiritual decision. I am pleased with the settlement.
The Settlement Agreement that I reached with National NAACP included promises from both parties that we would not disclose the terms of our agreement.
On November 17, 2023, I learned that the stalker/predator who was not involved in any settlement discussions nor the agreement itself has circulated an email and a post on Facebook misrepresenting the truth. Whenever parties to a case reach a settlement agreement, the case is dismissed as a part of the legal process.
In closing, I wish to thank my former co-workers at the NAACP Tyler Swanson and Laurel Ashton for their support and friendship. I am also deeply grateful to the Elder Women Daphne Holmes-Johnson, O’Linda Watkins, Joyce Johnson, Ana Blackburn, and Janice Spearman for their wisdom and support. I also thank my lawyer Geeta Kapur. I am indebted to the Reverend Dr. T. Anthony Spearman. I will always remember the strong community that surrounded me.
I now ask for privacy as I move forward with God and truth on my side. I am full of hope.
Of note, Ms. Childs states that her attorneys “only” entered into settlement discussions with the NAACP, suggesting that Rev. Gatewood was not part of those discussions.
Gatewood seemingly confirms this when he issued an email statement on November 16 stating , “the politically timed [character assassination] complaint and subsequent lawsuit alleging workplace harassment from Rev. Curtis E. Gatewood has been DISMISSED With Prejudice as part of a motion from Childs’ attorney dated 11/13/23.
I, Rev. Curtis E. Gatewood, received a communication from my attorney, Atty Keith Bishop, on today, November 16, 2023, informing me of the news and the closure of this legal matter which was harmfully dragged nearly 4 years.
“Dismissal with Prejudice” means the Plaintiff has failed to make her case; the judgement is final and the Plaintiff (or Prosecutor if applicable) is prohibited from re-filing the case ever again in any court.
On social media, Gatewood further celebrated misleadingly by stating, “Dismissed with Prejudice” means we (Gatewood and the NAACP/Defendants) WON and the Plaintiff (the person who filed the lawsuit) understands the Judgement against her is FINAL; the Plaintiff’s case has been concluded to be invalid, and she can never attempt to re-file the case in another court.”
On Sunday, after being sent a copy of Ms. Childs' settlement statement, Gatewood issued a new response:
Well all intelligent, righteous, and civilized humans should know that we do not put something behind us by running from every imaginable form of fair and impartial protocol; by manipulating legal and civil right judgements and protocol; by avoiding law enforcement’s process for filing complaints and establishing probable cause; by avoiding the process of criminal court to make judgments over “criminal” matters; by “Dismissing” civil court hearing “with prejudice,” and then coming out claiming you have made a “settlement” that you cannot discuss with all defendants in the same lawsuit.
Dismissal with Prejudice means your case is complete. With that being the case, I am counting God’s blessings as this should be the last time I hear from the former Plaintiff in this matter. Since she is claiming the matter is settled and she did not settle it with me, yet it is settled just the same, then she has no business speaking to directly or indirectly to me, because I was not the one who made any deals - she did.
Legal observers say Gatewood is indeed being misleading.
Given the amount Ms. Childs was suing for - $20 million - the only defendant in the case who could afford that kind of judgement was the NAACP, thus, the reason why her attorneys began discussions with the civil rights organization “only.”
Sources close to the case add that given the NAACP and Derrick Johnson’s documented behavior towards Ms. Childs. it made sense for them to “substantially” settle with Ms. Childs and her attorneys .
The only reason why Gatewood would even think that he “won” anything is because he doesn’t have to pay anything (he could not afford to), and there will be no public trial with testimony detailing his alleged behavior towards Ms. Childs, sources say.
Nor will there be testimony from another young woman , Courtney Sebring, who also alleges Gatewood sexually harassed her at the Moral Freedom Summer internship in 2014 when she was just 17 and fresh out of high school.
Curtis Gatewood has denied all accusations of sexual harassment.
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NEW POLLS SUGGEST
A STEIN VERSUS ROBINSON
RACE FOR GOVERNOR
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
With just over four months before the March 5th primaries, Democrat state Atty. General Josh Stein and Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson are leading in their respective races to face off in next November’s gubernatorial election.
On the Democratic side, Stein is facing opposition from a determined retired NC Supreme Court Justice Mike Morgan, who is working hard seemingly every day to boost his numbers to overtake Stein in time for the primary.
If a recent Meredith College poll holds true, while Morgan trails Stein 11% to 38%, 42% of North Carolina Democrats surveyed say they’re undecided as to who they will vote for in the March primary.
That gives Morgan reason to continue making appearances across the state, shaking hands, giving speeches, and presenting himself as a fresh, experienced alternative to Democratic favorite son, Stein.
For his part, Stein is holding onto his growing campaign war chest for his probable face-off against culture warrior Republican gubernatorial candidate Robinson.
The lt. governor is dramatically leading his field of Republican hopefuls by 41% according to the Meredith College poll. His closest competition is attorney and former prosecutor Bill Graham at 5%, followed by state Treasurer Dale Folwell at just 3 percent.
Two other GOP challengers have dropped out.
The Meredith poll also reflected some indecision on the part of Republican primary voters, with 42% of them remaining undecided for now.
Observers say once the holiday season has subsided, the respective races should tighten up a bit, though there is presently no indication of either Stein or Robinson losing their leading positions.
Candidate filing for the March 5th primary begins Dec. 5th and ends Dec. 15th.
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