The counsel for Kentucky State Representative Will Coursey (D-Symsonia) is asking a judge to seal embarrassing videos of a deposition he gave in his counter-suit against a Capitol staffer who has accused him of sexual harassment.
The videos were posted earlier this month and are available on Kentucky Insider’s YouTube account.
Coursey’s Frankfort attorney, William Johnson, filed a motion Thursday in Franklin Circuit court to seal the records saying the videos will only serve to spread gossip about the proceedings. However, he says he’s afraid the damage has already been done.
“In my opinion, there’s no place for smut to be put out on the internet in a legal proceeding," said Johnson. "These are matters that should be addressed in court and, unfortunately, before I could get to the court, the plaintiff’s counsel had already put them out.
“I wish there were some way that you could take back what that has been put out by the plaintiffs attorney who admitted that he was the one who made them available to someone to put them on the internet. But I really don’t know what can be done, I’m looking at it but I’m a little afraid that the horse has gotten out of the barn.”
Nicole Cusic, an employee of the state Legislative Research Commission, alleges Coursey and former LRC executive director Bobby Sherman retaliated against her when she complained about Coursey's inappropriate behavior toward female interns.
In the deposition, Coursey details inappropriate comments from Cusic, including her “sexual escapades” with a retiring state Representative. In addition to sexual harassment, Cusic has accused Coursey of retaliating by having her transferred.
Johnson says Cusic’s attorney has 10 days to file a response to the motion.
