Car dealership employee sues for racial, sexual harassment

TYLER - A car dealership is being sued for racial and sexual harassment allegedly due to the service manager making crude racial and sexual pranks and jokes to an employee.

Claiming violations of his civil rights, Kinsley Robinson filed suit against Allen Samuels Enterprises Inc., also known as East Texas Dodge Inc., on June 17 in the Eastern District of Texas, Tyler Division.

Robinson was employed by East Texas Dodge in Tyler from December 2006 as a lube technician, until he was terminated in April 2009. He states that as a non-Caucasian American male he was subjected to a racially and sexually hostile working environment.

According to the lawsuit, the incidents included the service manager referring to him in a discriminatory manner, being called stupid and slow, and numerous crude racial and sexual pranks and jokes. Robinson claims he complained about the harassing and discriminatory conduct to various managers and supervisors, but his concerns were not investigated or addressed.

In April 2009, he claims he again complained about the harassment and discrimination and a few days later he was terminated.

The plaintiff is seeking an award of damages including lost wages and benefits, compensatory damages for mental trauma, loss of enjoyment of life, punitive damages, interest, court costs and attorney's fees.

Robinson is represented by Robert Bobby Lee and Carmen Artaza of Lee & Braziel in Dallas. A jury trial is requested.

U.S. District Judge Michael H. Schneider is assigned to the case.

Case No. 6:11-cv-00315