Opinion ID: 616359
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Verbal Harassment

Text: Tepperwien was required, as part of his employment as a security officer, to receive training and to re-qualify annually in the use of firearms. In the spring or summer of 2003, Tepperwien started receiving firearms training from Vito Messina, another Entergy security officer. When Messina was instructing at the firearms range, he was acting as a manager or supervisor. He had the ability to disqualify other officers from using and carrying firearms, and an officer who did not requalify was not able to perform many of the functions of a security officer. Over the course of a one-year period beginning in the summer of 2003, Messina verbally harassed Tepperwien four times. First, in front of other security officers, Messina asked Tepperwien: Do you think you would ever have sex with a man? Do you think it's all right? Tepperwien responded that he could not explain people and walked away. Second, the next time Tepperwien went to the range, Messina said to him privately: I think you and I could be very good friends, very good friends, and we could see each other. And I could take good care of you. And I could even get you [] good jobs . . . at the plant. Tepperwien politely left. Third, the next time Tepperwien was at the range, Messina said to him: [W]hy don't I excite you? Don't you-don't you get excited about me? Tepperwien responded by saying I'm ready to shoot, and proceeded with the drill. Finally, the last time Tepperwien was at the range with Messina, Messina said to a group of twelve officers in Tepperwien's presence: [C]ome on, let's get going, let's get shooting. Jim Tepperwien is turning me on.