Taxpayers will most likely be on the hook for the $1.2 million dollar verdict against the Donna Independent School District.
Former Donna ISD Superintendent Andres “Andy” Martinez won a lawsuit filed against the school district on Friday.
Donna ISD’s defense attorney Eileen Leeds told Action 4 News that if any money is paid in the suit, it would ultimately all come directly from taxpayer funds.
Action 4 News first broke the verdict on Friday with Martinez speaking to Action 4 News over the weekend.
He said jurors clearly believed his allegations that school board members wanted him out when he didn't go along with a political rewards and punishment scheme.
"I hope this goes out as a wake-up call to all the boards, let the superintendents do its job,” Martinez said.
Court records show that the jury awarded the following amounts in their verdict:
$530,000 - Breach of Contract
$280,000 - Due Process
$192,000 - Attorney/Trustees
$200,000 - Fees
Despite Martinez's $1.2 million dollar verdict, the district is claiming a small victory.
Leeds said the plaintiffs wanted more than $3 million dollars.
She said jury's conservative verdict spoke a lot about the facts in this case.
She says greed was the motivating factor behind the suit.
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