New Jersey nurse sues Englewood Health, alleges retaliation after reporting doctor who 'celebrated' Charlie Kirk killing
Lexi Kuenzle says she was suspended after confronting a physician who allegedly praised the assassination of the conservative activist; lawsuit cites discrimination, retaliation and hostile work environment.
A New Jersey nurse has filed a lawsuit accusing Englewood Health and a physician of retaliation after she reported the doctor for allegedly celebrating the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Lexi Kuenzle, 33, a nurse at Englewood Health in Englewood, New Jersey, filed the complaint Friday in state court naming the hospital, Dr. Matthew Jung and others. The suit says the episode occurred in front of patients and staff and that Kuenzle was suspended without pay after she complained to management and posted about the incident on social media.
The complaint quotes Kuenzle’s attorney, John Coyle, saying she questioned how a physician could "comply with the Hippocratic Oath’s and the American Medical Association’s Code of Medical Ethics while celebrating the murder of a non-violent Christian speaker who was on a college campus." The lawsuit alleges that Dr. Jung then "offered to ‘buy lunch’ for the nursing staff that he offended." Kuenzle told the New York Post she confronted the doctor in the moment and posted about the exchange after leaving work.
The complaint accuses Englewood Health of violating the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination by acting with knowledge of Kuenzle’s Christian faith, retaliating against her, breaching the Conscientious Employee Protection Act and creating a hostile work environment. Kuenzle is seeking a jury trial and unspecified monetary damages.
The lawsuit states the confrontation took place Wednesday and that Kuenzle reported the matter to hospital management the same day. It alleges the hospital suspended her without pay while it conducted an internal investigation.
As of Sunday morning, Dr. Jung was no longer listed on Englewood Health’s online provider directory. The hospital, the physician and representatives for Kuenzle did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The complaint comes after the widely reported killing of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed Thursday at an event in Utah. The shooting prompted national attention and disciplinary actions in other workplaces after reports that some employees had celebrated the attack.
Kuenzle’s suit seeks to hold Englewood Health responsible for its handling of the complaint and the subsequent personnel action against her. It alleges the hospital’s response amounted to unlawful retaliation and discrimination based on religious belief, and it asks a court to award remedies available under state law.
The case is one of several recent legal and personnel matters arising in the wake of the Kirk killing, as employers, employees and institutions navigate complaints about speech and conduct tied to the incident. The outcome of Kuenzle’s lawsuit could hinge on whether a court finds the hospital’s investigation and suspension were lawful personnel actions or unlawful retaliation tied to protected activity.
No court date has been reported in the filing, and the complaint did not specify the amount of damages sought. Further developments may depend on any response filed by Englewood Health and the results of the hospital’s internal investigative process.
