By Associated Press - Wednesday, January 22, 2014

JACKSON, Tenn. (AP) - Officials in Madison County have approved a settlement to resolve claims filed by two employees accusing the sheriff of sexual harassment.

The Jackson Sun (https://bit.ly/1fc9WMT) reports one woman will get $210,000 and the other will get $130,000 under the settlement approved Tuesday by county commissioners.

The deputies made the accusations against Sheriff David Woolfork in civil claims filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

According to the newspaper, Wolfforth has admitted to having affairs with the women but denied wrongdoing.

He was indicted last month on charges of attempted aggravated sexual battery and domestic assault involving one of the women and has pleaded not guilty.

Meanwhile, a judge on Tuesday set a July 14 trial date in a lawsuit filed by the County Commission seeking to oust Woolfork from office.

Woolfork’s attorney, Mark Donahoe, called the vote disappointing.

“We were disappointed it was settled at all,” Donahoe said. “We felt the case should have been tried by a Madison County jury. We were not involved in the process at all. We were not asked to attend (meetings) or offer any input.”

He said the settlement is not an admission of guilt.

“We’re going to go to the next phase,” Donahoe said. “If they had followed the normal process … (waiting for the EEOC to investigate the complaints first) … then if they (the EEOC) found cause, they would issue a right to sue letter. It seems like it was settled before a full picture of what may or may not have happened was available.”

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Information from: The Jackson Sun, https://www.jacksonsun.com

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