UPDATE: Judge OKs Settlement Conference in Maturo Sex Harass Case

EAST HAVEN, CT - A three-year-old lawsuit that charges Mayor Joseph Maturo, Jr. with sexually harassing a former East Haven town employee is slated to finally be heard by a judge on Wednesday, Sept. 12th. Or, maybe not.

With the trial of Francine Carbone vs. Joseph Maturo slated just days away the two parties have requested a pretrial settlement conference on Monday, Sept. 10th.

That request was granted on Friday by the court and a settlement conference is now slated for this coming Monday afternoon - two days before the trial is slated to start.

A settlement conference is a meeting between opposing sides of a lawsuit at which the parties attempt to reach a mutually agreeable resolution of their dispute without having to proceed to a trial.

In 2015, former Town Hall secretary Carbone filed a lawsuit, claiming she faced a continual pattern of harassment from Maturo, including inappropriate remarks and obscene gestures, since her employment began in January 1997. During one incident in 2013, Carbone claims Maturo exposed himself in her office.

From Jan. 25, 1997, to Oct. 17, 2014, Carbone was employed by the town. In October of 2014 she was fired.

According to the lawsuit, Maturo continually made comments regarding Carbone's body.

The complaint also alleges that Maturo grabbed his crotch in front of Carbone and in front of a town official.

The incident that Carbone first made involved Maturo allegedly exposing himself to her while she bent down to file documents in a cabinet. Carbone alleges that Maturo's behavior made her working conditions "intolerable," causing "severe emotional distress.

Carbone also filed a Family Medical Leave Act lawsuit, alleging the Maturo administration retaliated against her for taking medical leave.

She lost that case.

Maturo has repeatedly denied the allegations, calling the lawsuit frivilous and without merit, stating he is confident that he will be vindicated in court.