City OKs $32,000 Settlement in Case

GLENDALE — Two women who alleged that a Glendale police officer sexually harassed them two years ago will receive $32,000 from the city under a settlement unanimously approved by the Glendale City Council on Tuesday night.

Under the agreement, the two women will withdraw their federal civil rights lawsuit against Glendale and the officer will withdraw his defamation counter-suit he filed against them in Los Angeles Superior Court, Glendale City Atty. Scott H. Howard said.

In their federal action, Alice Sarkissian and Taline Khandamian, both 22, alleged that Officer Scott Holmes demanded to see their breasts during a routine traffic stop just after midnight, Jan. 7, 1995, while they were en route to a coffee shop.

Two days later, attorney Charles T. Mathews filed a $1.5 million claim against the city, demanding $750,000 for each woman for emotional distress and another unspecified amount in punitive damages.

After Glendale rejected the claim, Mathews filed the civil rights suit in U.S. District Court. In a televised news conference in which he did not allow his clients to comment, Mathews said the women had driven to the Glendale police station immediately after the early morning incident to report Holmes’ behavior.

According to the women’s account, Holmes pulled Sarkissian’s BMW over at San Fernando Road and Chevy Chase Drive for a nonfunctioning taillight. Two other officers soon joined him, but eventually left the scene, after which Holmes allegedly made his sexually inappropriate remarks. He then gave Sarkissian, a Glendale resident, a field sobriety test before releasing both women without a citation, Mathews said.

Holmes, meanwhile, filed a defamation suit against the women in 1996 in Superior Court, denying their charges and alleging they lied about what happened the night of the traffic stop.

Neither Mathews nor attorney Brian A. Pierik, whom the city retained last month to represent Holmes, could be reached Tuesday night for comment.

The council voted 4 to 0 to approve the settlement, with Mayor Larry Zarian absent.