Allegheny County Courthouse
PITTSBURGH – A $10,000 award from the City of Pittsburgh doesn’t stop a dogwalker allegedly called a “dyke” by a city worker from seeking even more money in federal court.
Judge William Stickman IV ruled last week that the federal civil rights claims in Michelle Cook’s lawsuit against Tara Pinnix and the City of Pittsburgh are different than those that previously went before the city’s Commission on Human Relations.
The PCHR in March found Cook had been discriminated against based on her sexual orientation and awarded her $10,000 for embarrassment and humiliation during an incident that left several dogs running through the streets. Her federal lawsuit alleges excessive force, false imprisonment and denial of equal protection under Section 1983 of federal law.
Though Pittsburgh argued the PCHR proceedings involved the same allegations and therefore kept Cook from suing, Stickman wrote, “As Cook correctly notes, the PCHR cannot award the same remedies as this court, or a jury, could award for a violation of Section 1983.”
Cook was walking 12 dogs in June 2024 at Flynn Parklet, which has two enclosed areas. Half of one of them is a basketball court, and the other half is unmarked. Cook says there were no signs indicating dogs weren’t allowed and there was even a dispenser for dog-waste bags, but Pinnix, a Public Works worker, was upset the dogs were in it.
According to the complaint, Pinnix ordered Cook and the dogs off the court, and Cook said she would if Pinnix could give her a better reason than “Because I said so.” Cook says Pinnix called her a “bitch.”
Pinnix drove away, called animal control and returned five minutes later, the suit says. She opened the gate to the court as she called Cook a “dyke” and a “white bitch” over her phone, it adds, then got the dogs to run through the open gate.
She closed the gate, pinning Cook in as the dogs ran into the street, Cook says. During a scuffle, it is alleged that Pinnix grabbed Cook’s shirt, broke her necklace and punched her in the face.
Cook got a black eye. Pinnix got a finger injury that Workers’ Compensation paid for. The City later found Pinnix had violated policies regarding fighting and offensive language but did not discipline her.
Pinnix had been instructed to call 911 if she came across a person unwilling to leave an area in a Pittsburgh park and animal control if those were involved. Prior to the incident, Pittsburgh never trained her on interacting with the public or deescalating conflict, the suit alleges.
