Federal jury awards woman $6.5M in suit against sheriff
A federal jury has awarded a former Hollis woman $6.5 million after finding the Harmon County sheriff failed in his duties to prevent her from being sexually assaulted while jailed.
In September 2014, Tiffany Ann Glover filed a civil rights lawsuit in Oklahoma City federal court against Sheriff Joe Johnson and others. Glover, now 32, claimed the sheriff acted with deliberate indifference when he failed to protect her from being raped by Jayson Vest, Hollis’ assistant police chief at the time of the assault, court documents show.
Jurors reached a verdict Thursday after a four-day trial. An appeal is expected. “The jury isn’t allowed to send a message but I think they did,” said John Gladd, one of Glover’s Tulsa attorneys. “This sheriff knew he had a predator in the jail and he allowed free access, gave him the keys.”
Because Johnson was sued in his official capacity as sheriff, it’s the taxpayers of Harmon County who could be affected by the judgment.
“It will be the good citizens of Harmon County who will have their property taxes raised over the next however many years,” Gladd said.
The jurors were asked to return a verdict of $20 million, Gladd said.
Harmon County is covered for such lawsuits up to $2 million, according to a spokesman with the Association of County Commissioners of Oklahoma. Attorney fees are subtracted from that $2 million coverage, the spokesman said.
The lawsuit
Vest pleaded no contest in June 2013 to second-degree rape and forcible sodomy, Harmon County records show. He is serving a 12-year prison sentence.
The lawsuit stated Vest began pursing Glover in a sexually harassing manner after an October 2012 domestic abuse incident. Vest was a responding officer and Glover was the victim, according to the lawsuit.
On Dec. 11, 2012, Vest pulled up behind Glover as she parked her car at her grandmother’s house, according to the lawsuit. Glover reported Vest asked about going on a date and she declined.
In retaliation for the refusal, Vest arrested Glover on driving under the influence and possession of paraphernalia complaints, according to the lawsuit. Those charges were dismissed after Vest pleaded in his case, records show.
Glover was taken to Harmon County jail, which is run and staffed by both Harmon County and Hollis authorities, documents show.
While being held in the jail for more than a month, Glover said the sexual harassment continued, according to the lawsuit. Glover said she told jail staff and even the sheriff directly about how Vest was targeting her for sexual abuse, documents show.
The sheriff denied that Glover reported she felt threatened by Vest, documents show. The sheriff also denied that Glover told him about Vest’s comments made in the jail.
“No actions or inactions of Sheriff Johnson resulted in Vest raping (Glover), and no policies or procedures over which he had control led to her being raped,” defense attorneys wrote in a court document.
Vest sexually assaulted Glover in the police chief’s office, according to the document.
The other defendants in the case were Vest, Hollis Police Chief David Leathers and the city of Hollis. The document states a settlement with those defendants was reached before last week’s trial.
Gladd said Glover now resides in Missouri. Johnson has been the Harmon County sheriff for more than 20 years. He is up for re-election this year, according to TV news reports.
The Oklahoman has a policy of not identifying rape victims. One exception is when a victim files a lawsuit.