Recent Instances of Police Preventing Sexual Assault

Oh did that say “Preventing”? Editorial mistake. “Committing” is the word we’re looking for here. That should be, “Recent Instances of Police Committing Sexual Assault.” Obviously.

Late last year, San Antonio police officer Jackie Neal was charged with felony sexual assault for handcuffing, groping, then raping a 19-year-old while on duty. He stopped the woman and claimed her car had been reported stolen. He then forced her to the back of his squad car and raped her. (More here).

In another instance late last year, Kim Nguyen, a student at Loyola Marymount University, filed a lawsuit against LAPD, alleging she was sexually assaulted by police officers. Ms. Nguyen was standing on the sidewalk with friends on March 17, after a night of drinking, when accosted by LAPD officers David Shin and Jin Oh. The officers singled Ms. Nguyen out, handcuffed her, placed her in the back of squad car. She testified in deposition that the officers sexually assaulted her.

She ultimately was tossed out of, or fell out of the moving squad car. Ms. Nguyen woke up after a six-day, medically-induced coma. She underwent several jaw surgeries and lost all her teeth. More here, here and here.

The San Jose Mercury News reported in March that Patrolman Geoffrey Graves raped a woman who was staying in a hotel because she had been arguing with her husband. Graves was booked on suspicion of one count of forcible rape. However, he spent no time in custody, as he posted the $100,000 bail. He is currently on paid administrative leave (paid vacation for a rapist who turned himself in). More here and here.

In another instance last month, a Detroit police officer Deon Nunlee was charged with sexually assaulting a woman while responding to a domestic violence call. Upon the reported rape, Nunlee was placed on administrative leave. After results from the rape kit returned, Nunlee was suspended without pay. More here.

In late March, San Diego Police may have fallen short of the legal definition of sexual assault, but nevertheless harassed naked women in a vile and perverted manner. Three officers with bulletproof vests and guns charged a strip club in San Diego, allegedly to ensure strippers were complying with licensing requirements. The officers held dancers  against their will for some 3 hours, and photographed them – purportedly in an attempt to check permits. More here and here. Feel safer now?

This is not much of a surprise, considering the data suggesting cops are three times more likely to commit sexual assault than everyone else. While some may be optimist that a couple of these rapists were actually charged with a crime, it would be naive to be too hopeful.

Recent Instances of Police Preventing Sexual Assault is a post from Cop Block – Badges Don’t Grant Extra Rights