Civil jury finds ex-Windsor Mayor Dominic Foppoli liable for sexually assaulting 7 women
SANTA ROSA, Calif. (KGO) -- A jury has found former Windsor Mayor Dominic Foppoli liable for the sexual assault of seven women in a civil trial. He has been ordered to pay around $13 million in compensatory damages to the victims, with the highest being $4.6 million for one victim.
The Santa Rosa chapter of Active 20-30 Club, a social club that Foppoli was a member of, was also found liable for one of the sexual assaults. They were ordered to pay $2 million in compensatory damages.
A hearing is set for Tuesday to determine punitive damages.
The jury reached its verdict after deliberating for over a week.
"An unanimous verdict in civil. We only needed nine, but it was unanimous- 12 people. It was very validating," said Lead Plaintiff attorney Traci Carrillo
"This is a huge victory for a lot of people, starting with the Jane Does," said attorney Gina Fortino Dickson.
Seven women, identified in court as Jane Does, sued Foppoli, accusing him of sexual assault in allegations spanning nearly two decades.
"The women, of course, have been brave enough to come and tell it and overcoming their trauma, their shame, their own guilt," said Carrillo.
Foppoli has never been charged with a crime related to the allegations. Two criminal investigations were opened and later suspended because investigators said they lacked sufficient evidence to move forward.
Foppoli's Testimony
Foppoli took the stand on Thursday, August 27, rejected the women's accounts, insisting he never assaulted anyone.
Foppoli testified that the alleged encounters either never happened or were consensual.
During direct examination, Foppoli said he has never drugged a woman in order to have sex with her or engaged in non-consensual sex.
RELATED: Ex-Windsor mayor who faced sexual assault accusations considers running for office again
While on the stand, Foppoli described himself as a devout Catholic and acknowledged past personal failings, but denied the allegations at the center of the lawsuit.
"I've been a terrible boyfriend and partner, cheating, selfish and egotistical, but I've never done any of those things I'm being sued for," Foppoli testified.
Allegations From Plaintiffs
During the trial, jurors heard allegations previously made by several of the plaintiffs.
Jane Doe No. 2 testified she was 18 years old when she briefly dated Foppoli while helping with his 2003 State Assembly campaign. She alleged Foppoli assaulted her at his home and again about two weeks later during a New Year's Eve celebration after she became intoxicated.
RELATED: Ex-Windsor mayor breaks silence after CA suspends investigation into alleged sexual assaults
Jane Doe No. 3 testified she shared a cab ride with Foppoli after a night out and later ended up at his home. She alleged Foppoli offered to sleep on the couch but later climbed into bed with her and groped her. She also testified that she locked herself in a bathroom afterward.
When questioned by plaintiffs' attorneys about the incident, Foppoli denied doing anything that would have caused the woman to fear him.
On Friday afternoon, Foppoli and his attorney responded to the jury's verdict.
"This was a trial about seven self-reported accounts of by the plaintiffs. And like i said in the closing, we're not saying they all lied about things they testified about. It's possible to be sincere and mistaken or have a distorted view," said defense attorney Andrew Watters.
"They are trying to crucify me for a cause that I'm not responsible for. Like I said I've always maintained my innocence," said Fippoli. "I just know in heart that I did not assault any of these people who were in court today and its unfortunate that the jury didn't see that."
The civil suit also names the Santa Rosa Chapter of the Active 20-30 Club, alleging that the service organization was notified about Foppoli's behavior but did not take action.
"At some point it stops being a coincidence when all these women are coming forward saying 'no it wasn't.' It really shows a clear pattern... That and then, the entity itself was just the 'see no evil, hear no evil speak no evil'," said Carrillo.
"Entities can be held liable and they need to make sure that they're doing proper training, that they kick out people if they find out something has happened and stand up for women and their safety," said Plaintiff Attorney Nicole Jaffee.
The case is still not done. The hearing for punitive damages is set for Tuesday.
Foppoli's team also said they plan to appeal the decision and potentially file a motion for a new trial.
