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Employee allegedly assaulted on the job
Black worker says white co-workers put noose around his neck
By Pam Easton (Associated Press)
HOUSTON - The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is suing a Conroe company where, a year ago, a black employee had a noose placed around his neck and was choked by a white co-worker.
"This case is especially severe and frightening because of its malicious nature," Houston EEOC Acting Director Jim Sacher said of the complaint filed in federal court against Commercial Coating Services Inc. "No one should have to endure such vicious treatment or have to quit to escape it." Charles Hickman, 35, said he had worked for the company for about seven months when he was told by one of his managers last October that some of his fellow employees were looking for him. Hickman said he was the only black employee at the company, where he said he endured racist taunts since his first day on the job but chose to stay because he needed an income. Hickman said he was pointed toward a bathroom Oct. 17 where his co-workers, including one who was paroled in 2001 from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice after serving four years in prison for robbery by threat, waited for him. When Hickman entered, John Keith Wrublewski placed a noose around his neck and began choking him. "I lost consciousness for a minute or two, and I was spitting up blood," Hickman said Wednesday, recalling the attack. "My boss man came in and intervened." Montgomery County prosecutors attempted to get Wrublewski indicted on a felony assault charge but Hickman's attorney, Charles Peckham, said a grand jury no-billed Wrublewski on the felony charge. Prosecutor Michael Valdez said a misdemeanor assault charge was then filed against Wrublewski, who entered a no contest plea June 19. Wrublewski was sentenced to 270 days in jail, Valdez said. Last month, his parole was revoked, and he is now in state custody, Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokeswoman Michelle Lyons said. "This is certainly one of the worst cases we have ever seen," EEOC attorney Rudy Sustaita said. "I've never seen anything quite like it. ... I don't remember any [cases] where a noose is actually placed around someone's neck." The Texan strives to present all information fairly, accurately and completely.
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