U.S. Alleges Race Motive in Flynt Firings

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued Larry Flynt Publications Inc. on Tuesday, claiming that the magazine publishing company illegally ordered eight white security guards replaced with blacks.

All eight men, security guards at the company’s Century City offices and at the Bel-Air residence of flamboyant publisher Larry Flynt, were discharged Jan. 15, 1984, and replaced the same day with black employees, said Robert T. Olmos, the commission’s regional attorney.

“They were not given any reason at all. They were just told Mr. Flynt called in and told his staff to fire these eight individuals,” he said.

Unusual Circumstances

“The thing that makes this case unique is that whereas in most of our cases it is a member of a minority race or ethnicity that is being deprived of a job, in this case we have the unusual situation of eight Caucasian employees being discharged on the basis of race. That’s very unusual.”

Flynt Publications publishes and distributes Hustler, Running Times and a variety of other nationally circulated magazines. Company spokesman David Kahn said all eight security guards were terminated for good cause, but he would not specify a reason.

“I think our basic position is that no security guards or their employees were terminated at any point in time as a result of their race,” Kahn said. “I think it’s obvious from the number of white employees we have . . . that there’s absolutely no prejudice against white employees.”

Olmos said the commission decided to file suit in Los Angeles federal court after an investigation led them to conclude that the firings were racially motivated, in apparent violation of federal civil rights laws.

‘Strong Evidence’

“In this situation, where you have eight employees of one race all being discharged simultaneously and being replaced immediately by eight of a different race, it’s pretty strong evidence that race was a factor,” Olmos said.

Several black security guards who work for the company were not discharged, he said.

In addition to providing building security services, the eight men also were bodyguards for Flynt and his wife, Olmos said, but he said he could not disclose details of any conflicts the men may have had with their employers before their discharge.

Plaintiffs in the suit, which seeks reinstatement and back pay in addition to a permanent injunction against any further racial discrimination, are Alex Lamota Marti, Chris Lynch, Kirk Killiow, Carl Plzak, Robert Lowe, Robert Deremer, William Brehm and Roger Korban, all residents of Los Angeles County.