RALEIGH - An Ohio man testified Wednesday that the president of an Eastern North Carolina restaurant chain ran his hand up his leg and told him, "I don't want to get fresh, I just need company."

Jason C. Hallaman, 39, the Ohio man, is suing Gregory A. Moore, 51, the president and CEO of Smithfield Chicken 'n Bar-B-Q, after Hallaman contends he was fired in 2002 from his position as Moore's personal assistant after he rejected Moore's sexual advances.

Hallaman worked for Moore for nine weeks. Moore, through his attorneys and court documents, maintains that Hallaman was fired because of poor work performance.

A Wake County jury will hear accounts from both men during the next week before deciding whether Hallaman was unjustly fired and whether he deserves compensation.

Two other men have filed similar lawsuits against Moore, claiming that they were sexually harassed. One of them, Donald Mayes, also worked as a personal assistant to Moore and settled the lawsuit. The terms of the settlement were made confidential. The other, Randy Martin, was hired to care for horses on Moore's estate in Raleigh, Martin's attorney said. That lawsuit is pending.

On Wednesday, jurors heard Hallaman describe how he became alarmed on his first day of work, when Moore put his head above Hallaman's crotch and made a sexually suggestive comment while driving to Moore's beach house.

Hallaman also described a trip to the ocean that evening where Moore said "nighttime rules" required that the two swim naked.

"He was [upset] I didn't get naked with him," Hallaman testified.

Hallaman also claimed that Moore laid down next to him in bed the next night and said, "I just need to feel a warm body next to me."

Despite saying that he felt uncomfortable with Moore's persistent sexual advances, Hallaman said he enjoyed his job and found it challenging. Among his other duties were caring for several of Moore's dogs, cooking for Moore and making sure things ran smoothly at the estate.

Moore's attorneys described their client as the owner of a family business who got rid of Hallaman after he forged Moore's name on a check used to pay for cleaning one of Moore's cars. He denies that he ever propositioned Hallaman.

"Mr. Moore was not pleased with Mr. Hallaman's performance," David Schiller told the jury during opening arguments.

Moore has filed a countersuit against Hallaman, claiming that the fired employee stole $20,000 worth of furniture from a home that Moore owned and Hallaman and his family lived in during his employment. Hallaman's attorneys said nothing was stolen.

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