Former Prosecutor Wins $3 Million Jury Award After Retaliation Allegations in California

A former high-ranking Orange County prosecutor has been awarded over $3 million in damages by a California jury after alleging workplace retaliation. Tracy Miller, who served for more than two decades, filed a lawsuit claiming that District Attorney Todd Spitzer and former Chief Assistant DA Shawn Nelson forced her out of her role in 2021 after she supported female colleagues who reported sexual harassment by a supervisor.

The San Diego trial revealed accusations of gender-based slurs, humiliation, and attempts to undermine Miller’s authority. Central to the case was Miller’s cooperation with an investigation into Gary Logalbo, a DA supervisor later found to have harassed four women and who had close personal ties to Spitzer. Miller’s legal team argued her departure was retaliatory and intentionally damaging, though the defendants denied any wrongdoing.

The jury awarded damages for both future economic loss and emotional distress, with an additional $25,000 in punitive damages—far less than the $300,000 sought. Despite denying the allegations, Spitzer stated he respected the jury’s decision and reiterated his efforts to reform a troubled office he inherited in 2019 amid allegations of prosecutorial misconduct.

This case underscores ongoing workplace culture issues within public offices and highlights the potential legal and reputational consequences of failing to address harassment allegations appropriately.