Only in Texas: Women: Demon afflicted co-worker

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Two women fired from the University of Texas at Arlington anointed a co-worker's cubicle with olive oil because they felt the worker was "demonically oppressed," according to university personnel records.

Evelyne Micky Shatkin and Linda Shifflett have filed a lawsuit alleging that they were wrongfully fired last spring based on their religion, age and gender after praying in the office for another staff worker.

The women say they and a male co-worker, who was not fired, stayed after work March 3 for the praying and religious cleansing.

According to the personnel records, the male co-worker became uncomfortable when Shatkin began chanting and rubbing scented oil on an absent co-worker's cubicle wall. In an e-mail to supervisors, the man quotes Shatkin as praying: "You vicious evil dogs. Get the hell out of here, in the name of Jesus. I command you to leave."

Shatkin and the co-worker for whom she was praying had a history of problems that led to mediation last year, according to the personnel files.