Ex-Idaho County prosecutor to investigate harassment claims

A former Idaho County deputy prosecutor will investigate sexual harassment allegations against Kootenai County’s chief deputy prosecutor.

Grangeville attorney Joseph A. Wright will conduct an independent investigation into sexual harassment allegations against Rick Baughman with the help of an Idaho County sheriff’s detective, Kootenai County Prosecutor Bill Douglas said Wednesday.

Baughman and Wright attended the University of Idaho law school together, but Douglas said he is comfortable having Wright investigate the allegations.

“What’s important is he feels he has no bias or prejudice,” Douglas said. “Mr. Baughman was not a friend of his then, or now.”

Douglas said Baughman and Wright were two years apart in law school. Both were admitted to practice law in Idaho in 1991.

Wright, who ran for 2nd District judge in 2002, was chosen following conversations between Douglas and Kootenai County’s Legal Services department.

Erika Grubbs, head of legal services, said Wright had disclosed to Senior Staff Attorney Darrin Murphey that he was in law school with Baughman. Wright told Murphey he knew of Douglas from attending prosecutors’ conferences.

“Frankly, I didn’t see that as a problem,” Grubbs said.

She said Wright was recommended by the Idaho Counties Risk Management Program, the county’s insurer, as having done “very good, thorough sexual harassment investigations in the past.”

Murphey said he attended the UI law school himself, and there were about 120 students in his graduating class. He said he personally knew “very few” students who were two years behind him in school.

Grubbs agreed.

“Frankly, you are so immersed in your own stuff in law school that you don’t develop relationships outside your class,” she said.

Baughman, who was recently promoted to chief deputy prosecutor, was placed on paid administrative leave Monday.

Multiple sources allege that two former female employees, who recently resigned from the prosecutor’s office, were harassed by the married deputy prosecutor on an ongoing basis.

One alleged victim reportedly told the county’s human resources department about the harassment during her exit interview. She reportedly said Baughman, 45, pursued her for dates and made lewd comments.

Another woman has contacted an attorney regarding alleged inappropriate touching by Baughman and references to the size of his genitals.

Neither woman would agree to an interview with The Spokesman-Review, and Baughman declined to comment.

Baughman, a 13-year employee of the prosecutor’s office, was the subject of a 1994 sexual harassment claim that resulted in a $7,500 payout to former legal secretary Carol Fowler.

The settlement agreement prohibits the parties from discussing the claim, according to Douglas and Fowler, who was reached by phone last week.

Fowler alleged in her tort claim that she was fired after she complained to Douglas that Baughman had repeatedly approached her for dates and “referenced certain of his body parts ….”

Though the Idaho Human Rights Commission sometimes investigates claims of harassment, Douglas said he felt the independent investigation could resolve the situation sooner.

“I do know that it would be a matter of months if I asked them to do it,” Douglas said. “In the meantime, I have someone on paid administrative leave.”

Douglas said Wright will be asked to issue findings and recommend what, if any, action should be taken.