The widowed wife of a 15 year New York City cop has filed a lawsuit in the Queens Supreme Court. The woman alleges that severe sexual harassment and bullying her husband experienced at the hands of his female superior officer drove him to commit suicide.
Gina Schindler claims that her late husband’s boss, Sgt. Christine Hertzel forced him to have sex with her in order to get a favorable work schedule. Matthew Schindler was a 15 year NYPD veteran, husband and father of three children.
The court documents state that Matthew Schindler begged Hertzel to end their affair or he would kill himself from the guilt. Sgt. Christine Hertzel and her alleged victim worked at the 115th precinct in Jackson Heights.
Hours after confronting Hertzel, Matthew Schindler shot himself with his service revolver. Legal papers stated that, Schindler, 39, “was made to understand that he would suffer tangible detriment in his job, job assignments, work conditions and future prospects if he did not submit to the sexual advances and demands of Hertzel.”
The court documents allege the sexual harassment began in March 2011 and continued up to the time of his death Schindler’s wife insists that he killed himself because he “realized and/or believed he could not escape the continuing sexual advances and demands of Hertzel.”
Gina Schindler filed the lawsuit against New York City, the NYPD and Hertzel. Gina Schindler alleges that the harassment violated her husband’s civil rights.
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