As reported by several news sites, including the Winston-Salem Journal, a woman that escaped her husband’s abuse was sexually pursued, and harassed, by the head of the domestic violence unit she had reported him to.
The woman, S.W., of North Carolina, has filed a personal injury lawsuit against the sheriff’s department, naming Detective R.J. III and Sheriff P.R. as defendants. She is seeking damages of over $10,000 for her emotional distress. She also has requested that Det. R.J. III be fired for allegedly stalking her.
After S.W.’s husband, G.W., pleaded guilty to domestic violence charges this past January, he was sentenced to almost four years in jail.
In the suit, S.W. alleged that Det. R.J. III abused his authority – he was the head of the sheriff’s domestic violence and sexual assault unit – in sexually harassing and propositioning her for sex.
S.W. told members of the press, “When he started doing this thing, I was shocked. I was terrified. This was not supposed to happen. They were supposed to be protecting us. We go (to the police) for protection. That's what we're counting on. ... But that didn't happen.”
The case begins in January 2009, when S.W. confronted G.W. about an alleged affair she suspected him of having. In the suit she describes his response to her questioning as beating her until he “tired out.” He also allegedly threatened to kill her and fired a gunshot close to her head within hearing-distance of their four children.
After the beating S.W sought out help from the police. On January 6, 2009 S.W. was referred to Det. R.J. III. Within that same day she was able to obtain a domestic violence protective order and her husband was arrested.
Within a month, according to the suit, Det. R.J. III started telephoning S.W. “repeatedly throughout the day, including late at night, using his police-issued cell phone.” In the beginning the calls were in regards to the case, but then messages he left became sexually explicit.
Det. R.J. III allegedly asked S.W. to come to his home to “have some wine”, showed up while she was shopping and bragged to others that he was in a relationship with a woman who brought domestic violence charges in his unit.
The suit states, “(S.W.) was already hopeless vulnerable after her near-death experience with her husband. (S.W.) needed (Det. R.J. III) to do his job and protect her. Instead, he exploited his position of authority to try to initiate a sexual relationship with (S.W.).”
When S.W. had her attorney notify the sheriff’s office as to what was going on, two deputies corroborated her accounting of events and in the outcome, Det. R.J. III was demoted.
The suit continued, “(S.W.) was devastated by the fact that the sheriff's office had only reassigned (Det. R.J. III) for what he had done to her. Yet, she was terrified that her criminal case would be dropped if she filed a civil suit against the sheriff's office or (Det. R.J. III) himself or spoke publicly about the incidents.”
If you have been physically harmed or emotionally hurt by the actions of someone in a position of authority, you have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit. Click here for our directory and contact a personal injury attorney right away for help!