N.J. State trooper accuses superior officer of sexually assaulting, impregnating her
By Chris Megerian/Statehouse Bureau
December 02, 2009, 6:53PM
TRENTON -- A New Jersey state trooper has filed a federal civil lawsuit saying she was sexually assaulted and impregnated by a superior officer.
Trooper Alexis Hayes accused Lt. Thomas King, a 26-year veteran, of getting her drunk, obtaining a key to her hotel room, assaulting her and leaving her pregnant while they were on assignment in April with other troopers in Pittsburgh.
Read a copy of the lawsuit
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Camden, alleges "repeated acts of sexual misconduct" that started four years ago, when Hayes was an academy recruit.
None of the charges was properly examined during internal investigations, according to the lawsuit. At one point, a lieutenant colonel allegedly told Hayes, 29, to "bear up with the imperfect conditions" and "go about her duties."
In a statement, State Police spokesman Capt. Gerald Lewis said the division "treats any allegation of misconduct very seriously. As with all allegations of misconduct, these allegations will be vigorously and thoroughly investigated."
Lewis said King is on administrative leave with pay.
Hayes has been on paid sick leave since August after suffering a nervous breakdown, said her lawyer, William Buckman.
The seven-count lawsuit asks for a trial by jury and an independent monitor to oversee the State Police’s internal affairs unit.
"Its internal affairs mechanisms are not impartial and not up to the task to objectively look at the problems," Buckman said. "There’s still some very disturbing cultural aspects."
The attorney, who has filed numerous discrimination lawsuits against the State Police in the last decade, said young, female troopers like Hayes remain vulnerable and victimized within the agency.
"The apparent prevalence of sexual harassment in the organization has not abated," he said. "Hayes happens to just be one of the people who came forward because she couldn’t hold it in anymore."
Hayes graduated from the State Police academy in 2005. During her time there, she allegedly was harassed by Sgt. Christine Shallcross, an instructor and a 14-year veteran, according to the lawsuit.
Shallcross, 43, demeaned Hayes as a "peanut," drew on her face with a black permanent marker and "stabbed" another female trooper with the marker, "leaving a bruise," according to the lawsuit.
After Hayes graduated, Shallcross, allegedly made advances by whispering in her ear and kissing her on the cheek, the suit contends. Hayes’ lawsuit also says that despite being reported for disciplinary action, Shallcross was transferred into the internal affairs division.
"That speaks to an internal affairs operation that doesn’t really seem to want to screen people to make sure they’re objective," Buckman said.
Hayes eventually joined a tactical patrol unit that handles traffic enforcement. According to the lawsuit, King, then an acting captain and Hayes’ superior officer, "bombarded" her with messages and unannounced visits to her home.
In April, Hayes joined a 49-member detail sent to Pittsburgh to honor three city police officers killed in a shootout. One night during the trip, King, 49, ensured Hayes was drunk, then entered her hotel room and assaulted her, according to the lawsuit.
Buckman said there is a criminal investigation into the alleged sexual assault by Pennsylvania law enforcement. Officials from the Allegheny County Police Department could not be reached for comment.
Hayes became pregnant but had an abortion, according to the lawsuit. Despite her moral opposition to the practice, "she could not bear the thought of having a child by King," the lawsuit reads. Buckman said Hayes knows the child was King’s because she was having only protected sex with her husband.
On two other occasions after the alleged sexual assault, King made sexual advances on Hayes, despite her pleas for him to leave her alone, according to the lawsuit.
When Hayes discussed her trauma with the State Police’s employee-assistance program, an official in that program breached confidentiality by telling a lieutenant colonel about her allegations, according to the lawsuit.
The unnamed lieutenant colonel -- the division’s second-highest rank -- allegedly told her to "bear up."
In addition to seeking a trial, Hayes’ suit asks for compensatory damages and for King and Shallcross to be barred from law enforcement.
Lewis, the State Police spokesman, said he didn’t know if King and the other troopers named in the lawsuit are facing internal charges.
Update: Lewis said in an e-mail that the State Police takes all internal investigations seriously. Also, King has been placed on paid administrative absences. Shalcross is still assigned to the Office of Professional Standards.
8 comments:
that is mess-up imagine that they not affraid to sexually assault one their own ,now what about the civiliant who dont have no one to complaint too.i think those officers who commited such act dont deserve to be in charge of no one meaning they should return their gangs in everything and go back to be civilian like everybody else and wait for their trail.they should be punish and recieved the same treament as everybody else as a matter of fact the deserve more than any civilian because they know better than that and, do it any way.JS7920
It is once again sad to see these things happening from the people who are assigned to protect others. I feel very bad for Hayes and hopes she copes well. I don't cases like these are usally handled the correct way because of the blue code of silence but hopefully some justice will be found. It sounds as though they were very demeaning which is the worst part, marker on the face is absolutely disrespectful. The fact that they were demeaning, though, makes it easier to believe Hayes because so many people see police officers that way anyway. LC1736
It is once again sad to see these things happening from the people who are assigned to protect others. I feel very bad for Hayes and hopes she copes well. I don't cases like these are usally handled the correct way because of the blue code of silence but hopefully some justice will be found. It sounds as though they were very demeaning which is the worst part, marker on the face is absolutely disrespectful. The fact that they were demeaning, though, makes it easier to believe Hayes because so many people see police officers that way anyway. LC1736
Now , the counterargument might be " why Hayes waited so long to file the lawsuit?
Well , Hayes might say that i was scared of retaliations? To some extent , she might say that she wanted to go along to get along which is said to be the norm. Truthfully , i am convinced that she will win this case for she is a coworker as well as a loved one to the superior officer . To illustrate , the premise of her case sounds true in the sense that she was new and tried to establish herself . Most importantly , she will face the jury with a poignant story. All in all , i hope she prevails for if she was assaulted by her own colleagues in the NJSP. We citizens are not really protected .
LJ 6631
My posture on this is simple. We live in a society whereby humans are driven by materials, lies, guit, insecurities, low self esteem, fantacies and other relatives syndromes. I would hope that justice system does not succumb to Hayes accusation against King simply she affirms so or because she is a woman. How many times have we seen married women accused their side lovers of nonconsexual sex or rapes simply they were in the dilema of getting cut by their husbands, suppposely boy friends or simply their hidden relationships which is about to be unveil?
A.A. 2467
It's a damn shame that we as law enforcement officers aren't safe from our own colleagues. Its even more devestating that we can't even speak out about it. They are more concerned with degrading a fellow officers reputation and the reputation of law enforcement itself more than they are with acknowledging the potential harm he can be to the force in general. They are bigger threats than we know because they can cover up any mishaps.
TBynum9458
I hate the way most male officers in the ranks/ in charge treat women police officers from sexually explicit slurrs to sexual harrassment and many times women go along with it to get promotions and more money and dont speak up up....sbd 3013
It's dreadful that this woman had to go through this horrific ordeal. No woman deserves to be treated this way. She should have spoken up sooner maybe something could have been done. But like I say there is always 2 sides to the story and both of them know what was happening. We can only go by what they say until the truth comes out, but inregardless woman should not be treated as a sex object. No means no.
Arbubaker-1221
CJI-102
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