
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 5, 1994                   TAG: 9401050142
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Short

FORMER WARDEN SUES CORRECTIONS OFFICIALS

The former warden of the Nottoway Correctional Center has filed a $1 million federal lawsuit against the Department of Corrections and six of its top officials, claiming his right to due process were denied.

The suit, filed in U.S. District Court, alleges that David A. Garraghty was denied due process when he was fired in September 1992 after a department employee, Gloria B. Williams, accused him of sexually harassing her.

Garraghty appealed the dismissal to O. Randolph Rollins, then state secretary of public safety, who reinstated Garraghty last April. Rollins reduced Garraghty's salary and directed Corrections Director Edward W. Murray to transfer him.

The federal suit filed last week says Garraghty was not provided a meaningful hearing to respond to the sexual harassment charges. According to the suit, he was refused a hearing because a 1986 state law aimed at him removed prison wardens and many other midlevel state employees from the category of employees entitled to a grievance hearing under state law.

- Associated Press

by CNB