Lawsuit pending in case of Rutgers surgeon charged with secretly filming women in bathroom

Nick Muscavage | Bridgewater Courier News

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NEW BRUNSWICK – A judge has denied a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought against a former Rutgers Cancer Institute professor and surgeon accused of spying on women in a restroom.

James Goydos, 59, was charged in February in a 160-count indictment with invasion of privacy, computer theft, wiretapping, burglary, official misconduct and impersonation for allegedly installing video cameras in a women's restroom at the cancer institute and secretly recording more than a dozen women.

On Dec. 9, Superior Court Judge Michael Cresitello in Middlesex County denied Goydos' motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought by Maureen Denman, of Morristown, who once worked as a human research services budget analyst at the cancer institute.

Denman, in her lawsuit, claimed she was fired from her position at the cancer institute based on her complaints about the cameras in the restroom.

In late December 2017, Denman learned that detectives were investigating "surreptitious cameras" that were discovered in the second-floor women’s restroom, according to the lawsuit.

The next month, nearly everyone from the "front door greeter to the nursing staff" had become aware of the "camera-spying incident" and the investigation, the lawsuit alleges.

The cancer institute, however, "still failed to notify its employees, particularly its female employees, of the incident, failed to discuss or clarify same and neglected to put any plans in place to address the egregious violations or to prevent similar behaviors in the future," the lawsuit contends.

READ: Ex-Rutgers professor charged with filming women in bathroom alleges he was set up

In April 2018, "employee exasperation had reached a high, as law enforcement continued to swarm" the cancer institute, “but no official statements were made about what was occurring," according to the lawsuit.

Officials at the cancer institute "exhibited very little to no regard for the protection and safety of the female employees during this time period," the lawsuit claimed.

Denman then brought her concerns to Joy London, the associate director of finance at the cancer institute, and the human resources department.

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Her concerns resulted in multiple meetings with Linda Tanzer, the chief administrative and operating officer at the cancer institute. Both Tanzer and London are named as defendants in the lawsuit along with Goydos, the cancer institute, Rutgers University and the State of New Jersey.

After raising concerns over her privacy, Denman claimed that London began sending her emails requesting “immediate” updates on more than a dozen budget agreements and Tanzer "berated and disparaged her," according to the lawsuit.

She was terminated a few weeks later, the lawsuit said.

A separate class action lawsuit filed against Goydos is currently in discovery stages in Superior Court.

Goydos filed his own civil lawsuit in federal court alleging he was set up. That case was stayed by the District Court judge pending the outcome of his criminal charges.

Staff Writer Nick Muscavage is an award-winning watchdog reporter whose work spans many topics and has spurred the creation of a state law. Contact him: 908-243-6615; ngmuscavage@gannettnj.com; @nmuscavage.