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A camera operator for CBS’ Criminal Minds is suing CBS Corp, ABC Studios, and others over his claim of sexual harassment and battery in the workplace. The operator is suing over what he alleges is a long-term pattern of sexual harassment and battery by a supervisor on the show. The suit names Warner Bros. Entertainment as a defendant, even though that particular studio has nothing to do with the show Criminal Minds.

What details are known about the lawsuit?

Criminal Minds
Matthew Gray Gubler in Criminal Minds | Cliff Lipson/CBS via Getty Images)

The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court and includes graphic details provided by the plaintiff Todd Durboraw. He started working as a second assistant camera on the hit series Criminal Minds in 2011.

The suit goes into details claiming the director of photography, Greg St. Johns, “touched Plaintiff’s body sexually” on a number of occasions throughout the plaintiff’s employment. The paperwork goes into graphic details about the incidents. St Johns, as well as Entertainment Partners Enterprises are named as defendants in the case as well.

The filing includes graphic details

Also included in the filing was the alleged pattern of harassment directed at Durboraw. This included incidents of St. Johns “screaming” at him, and threatening him with demotions or even termination. More shocking details include the plaintiff claiming other employees “were wrongfully terminated in retaliation for complaining about harassment, sexual harassment, and discrimination by Defendant St Johns.”

The suit also includes information related to the sexual harassment. “St. Johns touched Plaintiff in a sexually harassing manner approximately two to three times a week on average from the time Plaintiff was hired through approximately October 2019,” stated the lawsuit. The paperwork goes into much more details of alleged abuse by St. Johns directed at Durboraw.

This isn’t the first report of abuse

The plaintiff claims Durboraw was also kept from taking time off to take care of his daughter and her life-threatening condition. He also says he was invited to take a promotion at work, and then considered that if he accepted, he would be fired. Also detailed in the paperwork is that colleagues that went along with the harassment directed towards Durboraw and didn’t say anything, were rewarded with gifts and greater assignments.

Variety reported in 2018 that St. Johns was able to keep working on the set even after a human resources probe by the state of California. The investigation was launched after an accusation that St. Johns sexually harassed and retaliated against a past employee. The report by Variety said 19 former or current Criminal Minds workers said they worked in a toxic environment, including St. Johns groping and physically threatening male staffers on set. Those who complained were promptly fired.

Durboraw’s lawsuit says St. Johns inflicted emotional stress intentionally, and makes other claims against him, including assault, battery, and sexual assault. The paperwork also makes claims against every defendant, including discrimination, sexual harassment, harassment, retaliation, failure to investigate or prevent, and negligent infliction of plaintiff’s emotional distress.

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