San Joaquin jury: 3 whistle blowers were fired in retaliation | News

STOCKTON, CA - A San Joaquin County jury has agreed that three people let go from the local transit district were fired out of retaliation.

Bobby Kuhn, Kari Wilson and Stacy Douglas are owed $1.1 million in totaled lost wages, after their firings in 2008. They worked either in the business or maintenance departments at San Joaquin Regional Transit.

The trio claimed San Joaquin RTD had overspent on consultants, meeting space, meals for employees and the new downtown Stockton transit center. 

Kuhn spoke to the grand jury about the claim; the two women gave Kuhn information about the spending.

"The grand jury process is there for a reason, to protect taxpayers, and make sure companies like this don't go off on their own," Kuhn said.

At the time they were let go, RTD General Manager Donna DeMartino claimed it was because fuel prices had gone too high.

The three plaintiffs sued the RTD for their lost pay and accused the RTD that their firing was in retaliation for being whistle blowers.

RTD officials didn't comment on the verdcit Monday. Attorney Albert Ellis said he's filed a motion to have the verdict overturned.

By Tim Daly, tdaly@news10.net