Wife: Ex-Smithfield's Employee Upset at Firing

A former assistant to Smithfield's Chicken 'n Bar-B-Q Chief Executive Gregory Moore was distraught when he was fired five years ago, the man's ex-wife testified Friday.

Jason Hallaman, who worked as a personal assistant to Moore for several weeks in 2002, claims he was sexually harassed by his boss. Hallaman testified Moore made sexual overtures toward him on several occasions, and he was fired after rebuffing the repeated advances.

Lisa Samples, Hallaman's former wife, testified Friday that her ex-husband sobbed when Moore fired him.

"He was very emotional. He was crying. He was sobbing. It was painful to see a man let down the way he did that night," Samples said.

After he was fired, Hallaman said Moore had him arrested and charged with trespassing and forgery. He said he had, at Moore's request, signed Moore's name to a check to pay for automobile detailing.

In a pre-trial deposition, Moore said he is bisexual, but he denied harassing Hallaman. Moore's attorney said Hallaman was let go after a dispute over a check and poor job performance.

Two other former Smithfield's employees, both men, also filed sexual harassment lawsuits against Moore. One was settled, and the second hasn't gone to trial yet.