The jury box in the courtroom of the Rhea County Courthouse in Dayton, Tenn., Thursday, April 17, 2025.
San Diego, California – A California jury on Thursday awarded over $3 million to former Orange County prosecutor Tracy Miller, concluding a two-week trial that exposed deep internal fractures within one of the state’s most prominent district attorney offices. Miller alleged that she was targeted and ultimately forced out of her role after supporting female colleagues who came forward with sexual harassment complaints against a senior supervisor.
The verdict, reached in San Diego, held Orange County, District Attorney Todd Spitzer, and former Chief Assistant District Attorney Shawn Nelson liable for retaliatory conduct and emotional harm. Miller, a longtime prosecutor with more than two decades of service, said she faced escalating hostility after cooperating with an internal investigation into Gary Logalbo, a high-ranking prosecutor and close associate of Spitzer. Logalbo was later found to have harassed four female attorneys before he died in 2021.
Miller’s lawsuit claimed she became a target within the office following her cooperation, citing examples of public humiliation, gender-based slurs, and attempts to undermine her authority. She said the environment worsened when she stood by the women accusing Logalbo—one of whom Spitzer allegedly tried to punish. She also claimed Spitzer and Nelson criticized her for taking notes during meetings and otherwise treated her with disdain.
Though Spitzer and Nelson have denied all allegations, the jury sided with Miller, awarding her damages for emotional distress and lost future earnings. An additional $25,000 in punitive damages was also assessed—less than the $300,000 Miller’s legal team requested but still a symbolic recognition of misconduct.
Spitzer, who became district attorney in 2019 amid a federal investigation into alleged misuse of jailhouse informants, acknowledged the verdict in a statement, expressing sorrow that his actions may have been misinterpreted. He emphasized the challenges he inherited upon taking office, calling the environment one of “chaos.”
“I am heartbroken over the fact that any of my actions could have been interpreted as anything other than a good faith effort to clean up public corruption,” he said.
Miller’s attorney, Bijan Darvish, said the jury’s decision validated what his client endured—and set an example. “It wasn’t an accident. It wasn’t negligence. It was intentional,” he told the court. He added that Miller’s ordeal opened a door for future generations of women in the legal profession.
County attorney Tracey Kennedy said the $3 million verdict itself “sends the message” and argued against further punitive damages.
Miller had previously overseen major initiatives, including opioid litigation and the Huntington Beach oil spill.
