UPDATE: District Attorney Jay Gaither released the following statement Friday:
“I have made a public statement regarding the true circumstances of my former employee’s departure from my office. At this time I believe it is incumbent upon her to address the issue of whether she had a sexual relationship with a married defense attorney who regularly appeared as opposing counsel in her Court. I believe she owes that to the voters of this district.
While I am human and I make mistakes, I own up to the mistakes I make. This is not one of those occasions. Her claim of sexual harassment is unfounded and false, which is why her EEOC complaint was dismissed.”
STATESVILLE, NC — A bombshell lawsuit filed against the District Attorney for Burke, Catawba and Caldwell counties. Jay Gaither’s former employee says Gaither sexually harassed and intimidated her. Gaither says the lawsuit is a vendetta.
Former ADA Nikkie Shaffer filed the lawsuit against Gaither Thursday in federal court in Statesville. She claims he used his position to harass and intimidate her. She claims he would show up in her office when she was alone, and repeatedly make sexual advances.
The suit also says Gaither sent Shaffer repeated text messages. One says, “I’ve laid hands on you and love the feel of your body.”
Gaither released a statement saying Shaffer was forced to leave his office in 2013 after she was caught in bed with a married defense attorney.
Shaffer is now an Assistant District Attorney for Transylvania and Polk counties. She is represented by the law firm of James, McElroy and Diehl. The suit asks for a trial by jury and for punitive damages, but does not say how much.
