‘Criminal Minds’ Production Company Settles $3M California Sexual Harassment Lawsuit

The production company behind the series criminal spirits a lawsuit filed by the California Department of Civil Rights over allegations that male crew members suffered retaliation when they complained of sexual harassment by the show’s cameraman.

The state agency announced Monday that Walt Disney Co. ‘s subsidiary ABC Signature, the show’s producer, will pay $3 million to settle the claims. The agency filed a lawsuit against Disney, CBS and others in 2020, alleging that the DP, Gregory St. Johns, “subjected male crew members to sexual harassment, including unwanted touching and caressing, and that they were unwelcoming and threatening.”
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Kevin Kish, director of the agency, said in a statement: “Crew members have bravely come forward to assert their right to make a living free of sexual harassment. Regardless of the industry, work environment or employee gender, companies must investigate and address credible complaints of harassment and retaliation.”

Officials from ABC Signature could not be reached for comment.

The California Department of Civil Rights alleged that the production companies and producers ignored the harassment and did not investigate the complaints. Subject to a three-year consent decree to resolve the matter, ABC Signature will, among other things, review and distribute the policy to all programs produced by the company and report compliance to the government agency annually. The $3 million will be divided among a class of about a dozen people.

When the lawsuit was filed, ABC Signature said, “The company works hard to maintain a work environment free of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. In this case, the company took corrective action. We contacted the Department of Fair Employment and Housing cooperated during the investigation and regret that we were unable to find a reasonable resolution with the department. We now intend to vigorously defend the claims made.”

The government agency alleged violations of the Fair Employment and Housing Act, the Ralph Civil Rights Act and a provision of the Civil Code that prohibits sexual harassment in business, employment and professional relationships.