TULSA — The state of Oklahoma has paid $170,000 to settle a wrongful-termination lawsuit filed by former Creek County District Judge Donald Thompson’s secretary, The Oklahoman confirmed Tuesday.
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Zelma Hindman’s check is dated Sept. 29 — one month after a federal judge agreed to keep secret the payment amount and other settlement details.
The Oklahoman obtained a copy of the check through the state’s open records law.
Hindman testified at Thompson’s criminal trial that he fired her in September 2003 after Thompson learned of a civil investigation into allegations that he repeatedly used a device known as a penis pump while presiding over trials.
Hindman testified that even after her firing, she was reluctant to cooperate with investigators because "my tires might get slashed, and sugar might be put in my gas tank.”
A Creek County jury convicted Thompson in 2006 of four felony indecent exposure charges. He spent 20 months in prison and recently lost his license to practice law.
In 2005, Hindman and Thompson’s clerk, Lisa Foster, filed lawsuits against Thompson, the state and Creek County. The state was a defendant because both women worked for the state district court system.
Foster’s lawsuit is mentioned in a joint motion that sought to keep secret the details of Hindman’s lawsuit settlement.
The outcome of Foster’s lawsuit "could be adversely affected by the disclosure of the terms of this resolution,” Hindman’s attorneys and the state attorney general’s office wrote. An Oct. 27 trial is set on Foster’s lawsuit.
The attorney for both women agreed not to pursue claims against Creek County, said assistant district attorney Laura Farris.
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