THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, November 1, 1994 TAG: 9411010316
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MICHELLE DEARMOND, ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: LAS VEGAS LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
The Las Vegas Hilton and its parent company were ordered Monday to pay $5 million in punitive damages for failing to protect a former Navy lieutenant from drunken aviators at the 1991 Tailhook convention.
The federal jury's ruling brings the total award for Paula Coughlin to $6.7 million.
``I think justice was served,'' said Coughlin, 32, speaking with reporters for the first time since the trial began Sept. 12. ``This sends a message that you can't tolerate abusing women even for making money.''
Coughlin, at the time a helicopter pilot in Virginia Beach, blew the whistle on the drunken debauchery at the meeting of Navy and Marine aviators. A Pentagon report said 83 women were assaulted or molested at the convention.
Coughlin settled for an undisclosed amount with the Tailhook Association before the trial started.
On Friday, the jury awarded Coughlin $1.7 million in compensatory damages, ruling that the Hilton failed to provide adequate security at the convention. Because it also determined that Hilton had acted with malice, the jury returned Monday to deliberate punitive damages, aimed at punishing a wrongdoer and deterring any such conduct in the future.
Coughlin had testified that she was trapped in the hotel's third-floor hallway one night during the convention by a group of men who shoved their hands down her bra and tried to reach up her skirt and pull off her underwear.
Coughlin's attorney urged jurors to issue a multimillion dollar award ``to get the (Hilton) shareholders' attention'' to prevent future assaults or remove some company executives. ``They're still equating the damage done to Paula Coughlin and her life to a broken lamp,'' said Dennis Schoville, one of Coughlin's attorneys.
Hilton attorney Eugene Wait argued that the Hilton had been punished enough by negative publicity and by the $1.7 million compensatory award.
``We believe that the message has already found its way to the Las Vegas Hilton,'' he said. ``Your verdict punished the Hilton.'' ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS color photo
Paula Coughlin and mother Rena had plenty to smile about Monday.
KEYWORDS: TAILHOOK SEXUAL HARASSMENT ASSAULT
U.S. NAVY LAWSUIT
by CNB