Settlement Reached in Sullivan Sexual Harassment Lawsuit in Vero Beach

VERO BEACH — A sexual harassment lawsuit filed against longtime attorney Charles Sullivan, Sr., has been closed after an undisclosed settlement was reached, according to Indian River County court documents.

Circuit Judge Paul Kanarek ordered the case closed on July 17, after a confidential mediation session. Terms of the settlement aren’t being released.

“No one may comment,” said Sullivan’s attorney Louis “Buck” Vocelle Jr., of Vero Beach.

A woman law office employee who worked for Sullivan’s son contended Sullivan Sr., 83, sexually groped her against her will in 2015 at the firm’s State Road 60 office in Vero Beach, where he also worked.

Late last year the woman and her husband filed a civil lawsuit seeking an undisclosed amount. She filed under the fictitious name Jane Doe.

The lawsuit contended that Sullivan’s actions caused her to lose dignity and that she was humiliated, degraded and violated. The husband said he “lost the support … of his wife” because she is anguished and withdrawn, according to the lawsuit.

They asked for a jury trial and an undisclosed amount of financial damages.

Their attorney, Jerome Stone Jr., of Stuart, couldn’t be reached for comment after repeated messages and emails to his office.

The civil lawsuit was the second go-round for the woman’s accusations.

Vero Beach police arrested Sullivan in June 2015, on charges of sexual battery. During September, State Attorney Phil Archer of the 18th Judicial Circuit in Viera decided against prosecuting Sullivan criminally. The circuit covers Brevard and Seminole counties. Archer was asked to handle the case because Sullivan frequently works with the 19th Judicial Circuit judges and state attorney.

Before that, Sullivan’s criminal attorney Andy Metcalf said they were approached for a financial settlement in the case.

“Sullivan has never paid a settlement and never will to the accuser in this case, ” Metcalf said at the time.

Archer’s office concluded that while there was probable cause for the arrest, “it is our decision, taking into consideration all information that might be presented at trial, that there would be no likelihood of conviction on this charge,” said 18th Circuit Assistant State Attorney Julia Lynch.

Metcalf and his defense co-attorney Robert Stone (no relation to attorney Jerome Stone), said they don’t dispute something happened at the law firm, but they contend whatever happened was with consent.

The woman was an office receptionist from August 2014 to June 23, 2015. While she was at her work desk, Sullivan fondled her several times, the lawsuit states.

On June 2, 2015 he “took things further,” including exposing himself to her; his actions were not welcomed or invited, according to court files.

Police recordings of Sullivan’s conversations include him apologizing to the woman, saying: “It certainly would be a gigantic mistake to tell anybody (what she alleges). You and I are buddies. You do a good job. It would accomplish nothing but cause trouble.”