Kansas County Settles in Sex Discrimination Suit

Johnson County is no longer part of a lawsuit that claims Phill Kline sexually discriminated against a senior prosecutor while he was the suburban Kansas City county’s district attorney.

Johnson County Judge Gerald T. Elliott agreed to dismiss the county from the lawsuit this past week after it agreed to a $7,500 settlement.

The Kansas City Star reported that the trial had been scheduled for this week but has been postponed.

The suit was filed by Jacqie Spradling, who was a senior Johnson County prosecutor when Kline was appointed district attorney in January 2007. Kline fired several prosecutors the day he took office.

He dismissed Spradling three months later. She alleges she was fired in retaliation for her complaints of sex discrimination. Kline is among the remaining defendants.