Ruth
A former nurse has dropped a discrimination claim and parts of several defamation counts in a suit brought against Saint Anthony's Hospital of Alton and several of its staff members.
Plaintiff John Doe filed his stipulation to dismiss count five of his case – the discrimination count – and to drop claims stemming from statements made to a state regulatory board on Dec. 6.
Doe is suing the hospital, Kathryn Hartmann and other staff members for damages in excess of $50,000 and other relief.
The plaintiff claims that Hartmann spread rumors that he touched an unconscious male patient inappropriately and that the rumors led to his firing by the hospital.
He had also claimed the hospital discriminated against him in the firing due to his sexual orientation.
The plaintiff claims that the state body governing nurses, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, exonerated him of Hartmann's claims.
The defendants deny the claims and have sought to have the suit dismissed.
In the Dec. 6 stipulations, the plaintiff drops the discrimination count completely.
He goes on to acknowledge that statements made to the state regulatory agency are privileged and that defamation, false light and emotion distress claims, can't arise out of statements made to that body.
Doe is represented by Jacqueline Brandenburg-Rees and Bob Perica.
The defendants are represented by Jill Luft, Edward Bott and Melanie Renken.
Madison County Circuit Judge Dennis Ruth presides.
The case is Madison case number 10-L-370.