Ex-NJ Hospital CEO Was Fired Over Nude Art Exhibition, Lawsuit Says

MERCER COUNTY, NJ — The former CEO of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Hamilton has filed a lawsuit alleging he was wrongfully terminated over a naked art exhibition.

In a lawsuit filed Aug. 28, Robert Freeman alleged that the hospital fired him for failing to prevent a living art body painting exhibition that was on display at the Hospital foundation’s fund-raising event on June 3.

Freeman was fired for “allegedly intentionally violating the Hospital sexual harassment policy,” the lawsuit says. He was hired as President and CEO of the hospital in June 2014.

On June 3, the Foundation hosted the 7th Annual We v. C “Under the Italian Sky”- themed event at Glenmore Farm in Hopewell. During the event, women had works of art painted on their naked bodies.

According to the hospital, Freeman did not stop the naked body painting exhibition from taking place. Freeman, however, disputes this claim.

In his suit, Freeman said he “had no involvement in planning the event or authorizing the exhibition and was barely aware of it when he arrived at the event.”

He alleges that more than 40 people affiliated with the hospital, including the foundation’s Director, Director of Marketing, the VP of foundation, and the legal department, were “responsible for planning and/or authorizing the event and the exhibition in the many months leading up to the event.”

Freeman said in his suit that the hospital ignored those critical facts, and terminated his employment “to avoid having to pay the substantial compensation and benefits.”

Freeman, 68, earned a salary of $500,000 in 2014, reaching $650,000 in 2023, in addition to performance-based annual incentives, according to the suit.

The suit alleges that the hospital’s actions were a breach of contract.

“In the event that the Hospital elects to terminate Plaintiff’s employment without cause, the Hospital is liable for 180 days of Plaintiff’s “regular compensation” in addition to 12 months of severance payments in the amount of Base Salary (along with continued medical and dental benefits for such period),” the lawsuit says.

In his suit, Freeman said the hospital “was in a dire state” before he joined in June 2014. After joining, Freeman “immediately revamped the services offered and cut costs.” Thanks to his efforts, the hospital turned a profit in his first year as President & CEO, “which it had not come close to achieving in the years prior to Plaintiff’s arrival,” the lawsuit said.

In response to Patch's request, the hospital said it was unable to provide comment "as this case is in active litigation."

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