The man who was in charge of running Chattanooga’s City Court had a “strong pattern” of sexually explicit behavior in the workplace and had received counseling for touching a female employee, according to a report released by the city of Chattanooga.

The 12-page report issued Tuesday detailed a series of alleged offenses by City Court clerk Edward C. Hammonds, who has resigned.

“There is conclusive evidence that Mr. Hammonds has sent numerous sexually explicit and objectionable e-mails” to several employees, the report states. “There is evidence from employees that Mr. Hammonds participated in or has started sexually explicit conversations on numerous occasions. There is a strong pattern of these behaviors that have been going on repeatedly over a period of time.”

City spokesman Richard Beeland said Mr. Hammonds went on administrative leave July 3 stemming from allegations that he had sexually harassed a female employee since May.

An investigation, during which the city seized Mr. Hammonds’ work computer, would reveal that he also had sent numerous “objectionable” and sexually explicit e-mails and videos over a period of time to both women and men in his office, according to the report.

One video called “How to get rid of a one-night stand” — which Mr. Hammonds admitted to sending — depicted a woman getting out of bed and pretending to urinate like a man, the report states. It states the video came from an Internet chat room dedicated to sexually explicit topics.

In the resignation letter he submitted Monday, Mr. Hammonds stated he was sorry about “misrepresenting” the public’s trust and had been compelled to resign because of “some inappropriate decisions.”

Mr. Hammonds’ wife said Tuesday during a telephone call to their home that her husband is declining to comment on the matter.

The resignation becomes official Aug. 1, but Mr. Hammonds has not returned to work. Mayor Ron Littlefield is expected to submit a candidate to replace Mr. Hammonds within 30 days.

The mayor’s office declined comment on the report. The City Court clerk is a position that is appointed by the Mayor, but a candidate also must receive approval from the city council.

City Council Chairwoman Linda Bennett said she had not read the report concerning the allegations against Mr. Hammonds, but stated, “That would just be unacceptable in a work environment.”

Councilman Manny Rico said he was “shocked” by the situation, adding he “just couldn’t believe it when they said it was (Mr. Hammonds) and what he had done.”

Mr. Rico, however, also questioned why anyone would use a city e-mail account to send out sexually explicit messages.

A woman working as an assistant in the City Court told the city personnel office July 3 that she had become uncomfortable with Mr. Hammonds’ behavior, according to the report.

She said Mr. Hammonds had, in addition to sending her the same e-mails and videos, asked her if she had any tattoos on her body other than the one he could see on her upper left chest. She also claims Mr. Hammonds on one occasion asked her to read “page after page” of erotic poetry in front of him while in his office.

The woman said she was afraid of telling anyone about the behavior, stating that Mr. Hammonds at one point insinuated she could be fired if she said anything about what had gone on between them, according to the report.

Mr. Hammonds denied ever threatening the woman or doing anything wrong in general, according to the report.

“He reaffirmed that (the woman) did not at any time indicate to him that any of the e-mailed or other written documents were inappropriate or offensive,” the report states.

The City Court has jurisdiction over traffic, parking and garbage violations, including any other city ordinance offenses.

As City Court clerk, Mr. Hammonds supervised all employees and oversaw all administrative functions of the court. His salary this year is $68,289.

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