A former Federal Way Municipal Court supervisor has sued the city, claiming she was retaliated against and ultimately fired after she reported Judge Michael Morgan made threats to harm himself and others.
Cindy Roque previously filed a wrongful termination claim against the city in February, seeking $500,000 in damages. Her lawsuit, filed May 22, asks for damages to be determined at trial.
In the suit, Roque claims a court employee told her in November that Morgan, the court’s presiding judge, had threatened suicide.
Roque, who worked as court services supervisor, claims Morgan later told her that an investigation under way by the state Commission on Judicial Conduct would ruin his career and affect his family.
Morgan made an apparent threat during an earlier conversation with Roque, saying he was not “‘going down’” without taking others with him, according to the lawsuit filed in King County Superior Court.
Morgan, contacted by a reporter Tuesday, stood by previous statements that he did not threaten to harm himself or others.
Federal Way City Attorney Pat Richardson declined comment.
In her lawsuit, Roque also claims court administrator Rae Iwamoto ordered her not to report Morgan’s threats to the city’s human resources department.
Iwamoto said Tuesday that Roque’s statements are “incorrect and her legal claim has no merit.”
Roque also claims her duties were changed by the court’s other judge, David Larson, in December. According to the lawsuit, Larson expressed anger that Roque had informed Federal Way police about Morgan’s threats and suggested Roque resign.
Responding to those claims, Larson told a reporter Tuesday: “I’m confident that they will be proved to be without merit.”
Larson concluded after his own investigation that Morgan did not threaten court employees and was not at risk of harming himself.
Iwamoto terminated Roque in January.
Steve Maynard: 253-597-8647 steve.maynard@thenewstribune.com
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