Scoop: Ex-detective and "Mare of Easttown" muse sues for sex discrimination
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Former Chester County Detective Christine Bleiler. Photo: Courtesy of Chester County
The detective who inspired HBO's "Mare of Easttown" says she quit because of sex-based discrimination within her department, per a federal lawsuit filed this month.
State of play: Former Chester County detective Christine Bleiler was a "go-to" consultant on the show, shaping Kate Winslet's titular character, Marianne "Mare" Sheehan, and helping her capture the realities of small-town policing.
The big picture: Bleiler's allegations come against a broader backdrop: A national survey of more than 500 female officers last year found that more than three-quarters of them reported experiencing sexual harassment.
Driving the news: Bleiler says in the lawsuit that she resigned from the department last year after being subjected to a "prolonged pattern" of discrimination from her then-supervisor, Sgt. Thomas Goggin.
- Goggin — now West Pikeland's police chief — and Chester County are named as defendants in the lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages and a court finding that the county violated Bleiler's civil rights.
The other side: Goggin referred questions about the lawsuit to his attorney, who didn't respond to Axios' request for comment.
- Chester County declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Zoom in: Bleiler, who joined Chester County in 2015, was one of two women in the 24-person department, the lawsuit says. The suit alleges:
- Goggin repeatedly berated her in front of colleagues, criticized her performance, told her she had "f–king balls" for requesting earned time off, and warned her not to complain about his alleged treatment of her.
- He didn't treat male officers as harshly, per the lawsuit.
Bleieler was concerned about continuing to work alongside Goggin after he returned from a two-week suspension and was demoted to detective, fearing he'd retaliate against her.
- David Sassa, chief of detectives, told Bleiler to "bury her head in work" and "move on from this," per the lawsuit.
- Bleiler's attorney did not respond to Axios' requests for comment.
Context: One of Goggin's alleged outbursts came while the two discussed a rape investigation, per the lawsuit.
- Goggin allegedly cut Bleiler off, pointed to his head, and told her, "You better think before you talk, and come up with a plan before you just say something."
Fifteen officers interviewed during an internal affairs investigation corroborated Bleiler's allegations against Goggin, per the lawsuit.
- Goggin denied mistreating Bleiler but came across as "untruthful" during his interview, per the lawsuit.
The intrigue: "Mare of Easttown" — from "Task" creator Brad Ingelsby — became a cultural phenomenon, parodied on "Saturday Night Live" as "Murder Durdur" and even inspiring a Wawa sandwich in Bleiler's honor.
What we're watching: The case is eligible for mediation and may go that route if the parties agree and the judge signs off, per court records.