In 2000 — years before wedding Sandra Bullock — Jesse James was accused of sexual harassment by a former employee, according to documents obtained by UsMagazine.com.
In a lawsuit filed Apr. 24, 2000 in Los Angeles Superior Court, former employee Deann McClung alleged James, 40, harassed her "on a regular basis" after she was hired at his West Coast Choppers bike shop in Long Beach, Calif., in April 1999.
She accused James of keeping pornography around the office, making degrading comments, glancing at her and other female employees in a lewd way, sexually propositioning her, touching her without her permission and exposing his "sexual organ."
In the suit, James' behavior was described as "malicious and was intended to oppress, humiliate, and denigrate" McClung "without justification." McClung alleged James' insulting, embarrassing and sexual harassing … was committed while James was acting in the capacity as the president and owner of the company."
She claims that she was then "terminated in retaliation for her complaints" on Jan. 19, 2000.
As a result, McClung "suffered and continues to suffer extreme stress, anxiety and/or depression," according to the suit.
She asked for unspecified damages to make up for losing "substantial wages, commissions, bonuses" as a result of the harassment and retaliation."
She also asked for damages for suffering "extreme and severe anguish, humiliation, emotional distress, nervousness, tension, anxiety and depression."
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The suit was dismissed in May 2001 at the request of both parties' attorneys.
The suit surfaces as four women now claim to have had affairs with James while he was wed to Bullock, 45.
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The new Us Weekly (on newsstands now) reports that James' infidelity has been an open secret among employees at his West Coast Choppers bike shop.
"Everybody knew," one source tells Us Weekly. James would regularly post Internet ads looking for "hot, tattooed biker chicks with big boobs," says a source.
Adds another, "He sees their photos, answers the ads and invites the girls to his office."
James has not addressed any of his alleged mistress' specific claims, but has publicly apologized to Bullock, 40.
