Jury deliberations in case against Thomas done until Monday

NEW YORK -- A jury asked for hundreds of pages of testimony and documents before finishing its first full day of deliberations Friday in the sexual-harassment case brought by a former top New York Knicks executive against coach Isiah Thomas.

The jury asked for transcripts of testimony of four men, including Thomas, along with e-mails sent by the plaintiff, Anucha Browne Sanders, to the president of Madison Square Garden, which is a defendant as well in the 3-week-old trial.

The panel, which started its deliberations late Thursday, will return to U.S. District Court in Manhattan to resume its work on Monday.

The requested testimony included the words of two men who participated in the internal MSG investigation of claims Browne Sanders made against Thomas before she was fired in January 2006 as a vice president at Madison Square Garden.

Jurors also asked for copy of MSG's organization chart, but the information was not given to them because it was not part of the evidence at trial.

Later Friday, the jury sent a note asking the judge if they should assume MSG's conduct was intentional if they conclude Browne Sanders was subjected to severe and pervasive harassment.

In its written question, the jury of seven people asked if they should assume it was intentional conduct if "the elements of the claim ... have been met."

U.S. District Judge Gerard E. Lynch cautioned the jurors to follow closely his instructions on the law rather than the wording on the verdict sheet.

Kevin Todd Mintzer, a lawyer for Browne Sanders, could barely contain his pleasure at the note when lawyers were asked to express their views as to what the jurors should be told.

"If that is what they're asking, it is our position that if they find all the elements of the claim ... are met, the answer to the question on the verdict form is yes," he said.

But lawyers for both sides insisted nothing could be read into the jury's notes.

Browne Sanders testified that Thomas subjected her to a hostile work environment by lacing conversations with profanities and treating her harshly for his first year on the job before reversing tactics and smothering her with inappropriate sexual advances in his second year.

Thomas testified that Browne Sanders made his job more difficult and got in his way by trying to undermine his authority. He said he always treated her with respect and never directed any profanities at her.

Anne Vladeck, a lawyer for Browne Sanders, has asked the jury to conclude she was sexually discriminated against and that damages are owed.

Defense lawyers say Browne Sanders ruined her career with the Knicks when she failed at several budget meetings after he responsibilities over financial matters were increased in 2005, the same year her pay was increased to $260,000 annually.

Browne Sanders, a 44-year-old former Northwestern University basketball star, says she was dismissed last year because she dared to accuse Thomas of routinely using vulgar language in his first year and of later making unwanted sexual advances toward her. She seeks reinstatement to a job as vice president of marketing, which paid as much as $260,000 a year.