The 17-year-old girl who was raped twice in a Union Parish jail cell in April 2016 has filed suit in Third Judicial District Court, according to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by LouisianaVoice.
The Third JDC comprises the parishes of Lincoln and Union.
Meanwhile, nearly 17 months after the rapes occurred, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry’s office still has not completed its investigation.
The girl, who was thought to be high on meth, was being held in an isolation cell when Demarcus Shavez Peyton, 28, of Homer, who was awaiting sentencing after being convicted of aggravated rape in a separate case, was allowed to leave his cell and assault the girl twice in her cell.
Named as defendants in her lawsuit are the Union Parish Detention Center, the Union Parish Police Jury (which operates the detention center), the Union Parish Detention Center Commission (made up of Union Parish Sheriff Dusty Gates, District Attorney John Belton and Union Parish municipal chiefs of police).
The lawsuit says another prisoner, Darandall Eugene Boyette was also allowed into her cell with the intent to sexually assault her but “departed before committing any criminal act.”
Because the district attorney is a member of the commission that governs the detention center, Belton rightfully recused his office from any investigation and instead, requested the attorney general’s office to conduct the investigation.
And while Attorney General Landry on Tuesday issued one of his regular press releases in which he “applauded President Donald Trump’s decision to phase out of the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program,” he still has not wrapped up what should be a routine investigation of a rape that occurred in the limited confines of a jail cell, a case where he knows the identities of the victim, the rapist, and witnesses.
Apparently, Landry is far too busy issuing press releases to worry about the victimization of a 17-year-old girl—or the obvious liability to which the defendants are exposed.
Among the claims asserted by the victim through her Monroe attorney, Jeffrey D. Guerriero, are:
- Failure to provide a reasonably safe and secure facility for the custody of women, especially minor women;
- Failure to protect female inmates from male sexual assault;
- Failure to provide adequate training to employees and personnel;
- Failure to property monitor, observe and keep proper surveillance of prison inmates;
- Failure to properly monitor and supervise employees;
- Failure to provide, implement and enforce proper policy and procedure for the reporting of, handling, investigation and treatment care rendered to female inmates who have been victims of sexual assault while incarcerated;
- Failure to provide proper services to inmates who have been victims of sexual assault while incarcerated;
- Failure to properly secure inmate cell doors;
- Allowing convicted rapist inmates to move within the facility unmonitored and without supervision;
- Inadequate or negligent supervision of inmates within the facility;
- Failure to provide adequate staff to supervise and monitor inmates;
- Failure to provide adequately trained staff and employees to maintain a safe environment for female inmates, particularly minor female inmates.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Jeff Landry on Thursday (Sept. 7) issued a press release saying, “All welfare fraud needs to be found and ended.”
But he can’t seem to complete a simple rape investigation after nearly 17 months.
Jeff Landry is a piece of “Trump!”
sad–sad–sad.
He is too busy campaigning for governor to do his job. Press releases are easier then doing the real work the job requires.
He’s such a pathetic joke, just as he was when he was in Congress.
Jeff Landry is a perfect example of why there is always room for improvement. Perhaps replacing him with a rock would improve efficiency in the AG office. At least it would save some money and free up Landry more time to stare in the mirror and say Governor Landry over and over.
Don’t think he stands a chance. If this story could be shared on Facebook he may get off his “arse”.
Louisiana Legal Eagles/ State employees at their best. If she was their child they would be chomping at bits.
You nailed that one correctly.