Browne Sanders Is Awarded $11.6 Million In Sexual Harassment Suit

Anucah Browne Sanders the former New York Knicks executive who won her sexual harassment suit against the Knicks, Madison Square Garden, MSG Chairman James Dolan and team President of Basketball Operations and head coach Isiah Thomas Tuesday morning, was awarded a settlement of $11.6 million. The jury reconvened later Tuesday, and awarded the money to the plaintiff who was fired from her post where she had been making an annual salary of $260,00. Although all four parties in the suit were found to be guilty Thomas was found to be not liable by the jury for any monetary damages.

The jury broke down the settlement given to Ms. Browne Sanders in the following manner, MSG owes a total of $8.6 million. Six million was awarded due to the organization condoning a hostile environment in the work place, and $2.6 million because they say the company fired her in retaliation for the suit. Dolan was also fined personally $3 million, Thomas although off the hook financially has taken a huge hit Public Relations wise. It will be interesting to see after all the seamy details to come out during this trial becomes too much of a burden to allow Thomas to stay in power.

Yes winning cures many ills, although it is far from a foregone conclusion that the team that has been a disaster on the floor the last few years has what it takes to win. But let’s also remember where we are talking about, the Media Capital of the universe New York City. The spotlight glares it’s hardest in the Big Apple, and the New York City Sports Media along with their brethren in Philadelphia, and Boston, do not pull punches. Plus a very unflattering side of Thomas was portrayed especially when he made statements condoning African American men saying certain unflattering things to African American women. He even said that there were certain things Black men could call Black women that would be off limits for White men to say (certain nasty phrases that I do not want to put in print.) That’s always good for public relations Zeke to come off as a misogynist as well as a racist.

As I said in the earlier piece that I wrote on this story, this was another kick in the gut that the NBA did not need coming off the public relations nightmare that surrounds former NBA referee Tim Donaghy. Now take the franchise in the most visible market and make it into something that was the plot of Dynasty 20 years ago. I know one thing, I personally can not wait until the season starts so I can stop writing about all the extra-curricular activities off the court and get back to talking about what happens on the hardwood!