Jury Rules Against 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' Star, Awards $6K to Former Restaurant Worker

A Los Angeles jury Thursday awarded $6,250 to a server who alleged she was sexually harassed by an assistant manager during the time she worked at a Beverly Hills restaurant owned by "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Lisa Vanderpump and her husband.

The panel exonerated the assistant manager, Michael Govia, while finding the Villa Blanca restaurant liable. The jury also found the restaurant acted with malice, a decision that allowed Karina Bustillos' attorneys to proceed with an attempt to win punitive damages.

The panel will hear evidence in that portion of the trial on Tuesday.

Govia smiled and was hugged by his attorneys after the verdict, while a weeping Bustillos was comforted by those with her.

The plaintiff's attorney, Lisa Maki, commented later, telling reporters, "We're pleased they found in favor of Ms. Bustillos and against Villa Blanca."

The second phase of trial could not go forward Thursday because Bustillos' lawyers maintained they were not provided tax returns and other records needed to establish the net worth of the restaurant. Maki said the only documents turned over were unauthenticated profit-and-loss statements.

Bustillos filed her case in October 2012, naming Govia, the restaurant, Vanderpump and the reality star's husband, Ken Todd. Vanderpump, who testified briefly on Tuesday, sat with her husband in court for about 30 minutes this afternoon as the lawyers discussed the punitive damages phase of trial with the judge.

Bustillos maintained Govia caused pain in her wrists when he took hold and twisted them after she asked for change for a $20 bill so she could distribute tips at the end of her shift on Aug. 13, 2012. Four months earlier, Govia tried to kiss her, the plaintiff alleged.

Judge Michael Linfield found that Villa Blanca would be able to pay the damages owed Bustillos and that therefore Vanderpump and Todd would not be sharing liability with their restaurant under a legal "alter ego" theory.

Linfield also dismissed one of the the jurors because she is scheduled to start a new job Monday. The decision leaves the panel without any more alternates, but the judge said he expects the punitive damages phase to be completed Tuesday.

Bustillos worked at Villa Blanca in Beverly Hills for about 14 months until September 2012, when she maintained she quit because she could not take the stress of remaining there any longer. She alleged the eatery violated its own policies against sexual harassment by not doing anything to punish Govia for his alleged misconduct.

— City News Service