Amoriss Mallett, the former administrative assistant for Texas Supreme Court Justice Jeff Boyd, sent several emails to hundreds of public officials and journalists claiming Boyd sexually harassed and discriminated against her because of a disability she suffered from head injuries.
However, Boyd denies these allegations, claiming they are false, defamatory and harmful. Further, he claimed that Mallett made these statements after getting terminated for abusing and misusing her position to help a third party. As her employer, Boyd claimed he made disability accommodations by giving her time off when she did not feel well and had medical appointments, and lowered the lights in his chambers to help with her headaches.
After two groups of investigators examined the reported sexual misconduct, sexual assault and disability discrimination caused by Boyd, they concluded that Mallett’s allegations were unfounded, or unproven.
Timeline of Events
For clarity, the order in which the events occurred is described below:
- March 11, 2020: Texas Supreme Court General Counsel Nina Hess Hsu confronted Mallett about her attempts to help an El Paso municipal court judge get a position on a judicial commission.
- March 16, 2020: Mallett alleges in an email she sent to executives, editors and reporters that Boyd made inappropriate sexual remarks to her on February 27, 2019, committed fraud with campaign funds, and lied on his campaign finance reports.
- June 25, 2020: Mallett alleges that Boyd sexually assaulted her and that another man who reportedly raped her and was Boyd’s close friend.
- June 29, 2020: Mallett was terminated from her position as Boyd’s executive assistant.
- July 10, 2020: Mallett sent emails to senators, news reporters and Texas state representatives that Boyd retaliated and fired her for making these claims, and that Boyd’s lawyer tried to intimidate her to stay quiet.
- July 20, 2020: Mallett allegedly sent another defamatory email to Boyd’s church members.
Since investigators ended their inquiries into the incident and dismissed Mallett’s allegations, Boyd is technically “off the hook” for now. However, due to Mallett’s “defamatory” emails to his colleagues, peers and the press regarding his alleged sexual violence, Boyd’s professional and personal reputation could be permanently tarnished.
But what if Mallett was telling the truth?
Sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation in the workplace are illegal, yet all too common. If it is proven that Mallett was being honest in her allegations against Boyd, then Boyd could lose his job and suffer serious consequences.
While investigations into the incidents have ended for now, our Houston employment lawyers at Shellist Lazarz Slobin LLP would like to make one thing clear: We will fight for you until the end. We represent people like Mallett, who are victimized in the workplace. Our vast range of legal services includes disability discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation and countless other employment rights violations.
Have Your Employment Rights Been Violated? Let Us Help.
A key takeaway from the incidents between Boyd and Mallett is that retaining a Houston employment attorney could prove advantageous for employees like Mallett. Clients can benefit greatly from having a dedicated, aggressive defense team in their corner when their employment rights have been violated.
At our firm, results matter. As such, our mission is to deliver justice to employees who are victims of their employers’ misconduct and illegal activity. Please do not hesitate to contact us at (713) 352-3433 to learn how we can help you.