Two arrested with Daniels sue vice officers
Two women COLUMBUS — who were arrested with Stormy Daniels at a Columbus nightclub on July 11 have filed a federal lawsuit against the Columbus Police vice officers involved.
Miranda Panda, 26, of Marion, and Brittany Walters, 21, of Pickerington, were arrested and charged with misdemeanors while working at Sirens Gentleman’s Club on July 11. The charges were dismissed about a week after the arrests were made.
Panda and Walters’ lawsuit, which was filed in federal court Tuesday, names vice officers Shana Keckley, Mary Praither, Whitney Lancaster and Steven Rosser as defendants.
The suit alleges that three of the officers, which the lawsuit identifies as being registered or known Republicans and supporters of President Donald Trump, targeted Stormy Daniels because of statements the adult film star had made about Trump.
“Defendant Officers determined between themselves in advance of Ms. Clifford’s (Stormy Daniels’) performance at Sirens that she would be arrested,” the lawsuit alleges.
“Defendant Officers also determined in advance they would arrest at least two other individuals working at Sirens ... as a cover for their arrest of Ms. Clifford,” the suit alleges.
The lawsuit contends that the officers planned to fabricate evidence in the event the actions of the women involved did not meet the requirements under Ohio law.
The suit also mentions emails Keckley sent from a personal account to her work account with information about Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, before the appearance at Sirens.
Information in the lawsuit alleges vice officers lied about what Panda and Walters were wearing while working at Sirens.
Both women are seeking damages for defamation because they were exposed as workers at Sirens, according to the suit.
Panda had a defamatory word painted on the exterior door of her home, the suit said, and Walters’ family, who was not aware of her employment, was harassed by the media at their home.
“But for Ms. Clifford’s political expression and activity and Defendant Officers’ commitment to President Trump and retaliatory motivation against Ms. Clifford, no arrest, prosecution or defamation would have been done,” the lawsuit alleges.
The charges against Daniels were dismissed within hours and the charges against Panda and Walters were dismissed on July 18, according to court records.
Since the incident, Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein sent a memorandum to police saying he would no longer prosecute offenses under the statute used to charge the three women at Sirens.
Police also issued a directive that no vice officer was to be working undercover in a gentleman’s club without direct approval from Deputy Chief Tim Becker or Chief Kim Jacobs.
In early September, the division suspended all vice operations, pending an internal review spurred in part by the incident at Sirens.
The FBI’s Public Corruption Task Force agreed to take jurisdiction of the case last week.
Police and the Columbus City Attorney’s Office did not have any immediate comment on the suit.