With the pending grand jury decision regarding Ferguson, Mo., police officer Darren Wilson in the national news, the suburb of St. Louis can do with some good news.
This isn’t good news. A new lawsuit has emerged that accuses Ferguson-based correctional officer Jaris Hayden
of raping a three-months-pregnant woman at the city jail last year. Court papers have only identified the victim by her initials, J.W., because she’s a rape victim.
According to court papers, it’s suggested that Hayden was careful not to leave any material that could be tested for DNA. “Hayden then released J.W. from jail custody via a side door to the building,” read the court papers. “Hayden told J.W. words to the effect of, ‘Run and stay close to the building.’” The papers also suggest that Hayden told J.W. to avoid security cameras. “Immediately after the rape, J.W. went to a Subway restaurant across the street and retained a bag to hold the captured pubic hair,” the papers state.
During the rape, J.W. managed to retrieve some of Hayden’s pubic hair. J.W.’s sister came and took her to a hospital emergency room. Investigators from the St. Louis County Police responded. J.W. presented them with her evidence.
“DNA analysis has confirmed that the public hair is from Hayden,” the papers say.
In addition to the lawsuit, Hayden, 29, is facing two counts of having sexual contact with a prisoner, one count of permitting escape from custody and one count of acceding to corruption by a public servant. Hayden was arrested Nov. 12, and according to his lawyer, Scott Rosenblum, will appear in court Dec. 3 and plead not guilty to all charges.
According to reports, the reason it’s taken more than a year to arrest Hayden—with all of the evidence available and with the initial charge of having sex with a prisoner and aiding her escape—was to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder’s larger investigation into law enforcement conduct in Ferguson. The investigation stumbled upon this case.