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Daughter Speaks Up for Barbecue Chain Exec


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Margaret Moore
Margaret Moore

The daughter of Smithfield's Chicken 'n Bar-B-Q founder and Chief Executive Gregory Moore testified Wednesday that she never saw her father make sexual advances toward other men.

Jason Hallaman sued Moore three years ago for sexual harassment, alleging he was fired as Moore's personal assistant in 2002 after he rebuffed several advances from Moore.

Moore acknowledged, in pretrial documents, that he is bisexual, but denied any wrongdoing in the case.

Defense attorneys have said Hallaman was fired because of poor job performance and because he had signed Moore's name to a check for auto detailing services.

After Superior Court Judge Abe Jones on Wednesday denied a motion from defense attorneys to dismiss the case, the defense began presenting its witnesses.

The most dramatic testimony of the day came from Margaret Moore, who said she accompanied her father and Hallaman to the family's beach house in the summer of 2002.

"I didn't see my father very much during the week other than at dinner. The reason I went with him on weekends was that he really wanted me to spend time with him," she said.

Hallaman testified last week that Gregory Moore came into his room and wanted to climb into bed with him on the beach trip. But Margaret Moore said she didn't witness anything to support Hallaman's claims.

"If anyone left their room, you could hear (the floor) creak, especially if he left his room, considering my room was close to his," she testified.

In other testimony Wednesday, Samuel Overbee said he helped Hallaman move a refrigerator that had been stolen from Moore's house. Terry Pelt, a Cary accountant who handled Moore's books in 2002, testified that Gregory Moore's signature was forged on a check to a car-detailing service.

The defense also introduced part of a deposition that Hallaman gave in March 2006. In it, he stated, "(Moore) didn't fire me as a result of ability to or not to provide sexual favors."

Hallaman's attorneys said the statement in the deposition was taken out of context.

Earlier this week, four other former Smithfield's employees testified that they also had been fired from their jobs between 2002 and last year after rejecting sexual overtures from Gregory Moore.

Gregory Moore will testify in the trial, possibly as early as Thursday, his attorneys said.

RELATED TOPICS: Cary

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I do believe that he made these sexual advances because he want's him a young man. He even looks gay. His daughter should stop the lieing and tell the truth. He does not want her to know that he has a sick mind and needs help!! Meandmytwo September 27, 2007 9:09 a.m.

Gay or not gay, who are you to pass judgement on this guy? How do you know the daughter is lying? Were you in the house at all times with Mr. Moore? Did you sleep with him?

who cares

This is funny. His daughter is saying that she never witnessed her father making sexual advances to these young men. I think it's funny that they are wasting my reading time with stories like this. So what if she didn't ever see it happen. That's like the story about the thief that stole those bras... there are no witnesses, but it doesn't mean that it didn't happen. His daughter may very well be telling the truth, but what if she slept heavey that night? Maybe Moore is a bi- Ninja and kept from being seen or heard. *rolls eyes* This story is nonsense.

I do believe that he made these sexual advances because he want's him a young man. He even looks gay. His daughter should stop the lieing and tell the truth. He does not want her to know that he has a sick mind and needs help!!

Sounds like a disgruntled employee to me. Perhaps it was Hallaman making the advances and Moore turning him down. Since he stayed employed at Smithfield for years after the initial incident, I'm guessing he's filed these charges because he got caught forging his bosses' signature, then was fired.

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