CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Three police officers, including one suspended in Montgomery last month after allegedly beating a man, allegedly sexually assaulted and harassed a woman earlier this year, according to a complaint filed Friday.
She was alone with Leavitt from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m., when she was taken to South Central Regional Jail, according to the complaint. During the three hour period, Leavitt kept implying that O'Scha should have sex with Leavitt or give him oral sex, according to the complaint.
O'Scha said Friday the charges against her were dropped by a magistrate because Leavitt was serving in Iraq and wasn't present for a hearing. "I don't know why they still have my car impounded," she said.
In September, Leavitt was suspended from the Montgomery police force after he and another officer allegedly used racial epithets and repeatedly hit a man over the head with a blackjack, kicking him in the back and spraying his eyes with Mace at close range.
Twan Reynolds and his wife Lauren filed a lawsuit in Kanawha Circuit Court last week against Leavitt, Patrolman Shawn Hutchinson and the city of Montgomery.
Earlier this week, another woman said Leavitt was called to her home to break up a fight between her husband and another man in September 2007.
Lakisha White said Leavitt jumped on her husband's back and Maced him when her husband turned his back on the officer. White said she was Maced too, and Leavitt grabbed her by the back of the neck, injuring her spine.
Reach Gary Harki at gha...@wvgazette.com or 348-5163.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Three police officers, including one suspended in Montgomery last month after allegedly beating a man, allegedly sexually assaulted and harassed a woman earlier this year, according to a complaint filed Friday.
According to the complaint, Matthew Leavitt, a Cedar Grove officer at the time, along with another Cedar Grove officer and a Kanawha County sheriff's deputy, held Patricia O'Scha on a hill across from Riverside High School. The three told her that if she would have sex with any of the officers, she would not have to go to jail.
O'Scha's car has been impounded since the incident on March 15, when Leavitt pulled her over, said Mike Clifford, O'Scha's lawyer. A petition of forfeiture was filed on O'Scha's vehicle and the money found inside just last week, Clifford said.
"There was finally a petition filed that I could respond to in court," said Clifford, who plans to file a lawsuit on O'Scha's behalf next week.
On March 15 O'Scha was pulled over by Leavitt, who told her to get out and go to the rear of her car. Leavitt then did a pat down of O'Scha, according to the filing, "including placing his hands on her breasts, her [rear end], and between her legs."
O'Scha said Leavitt found several prescription pills inside the vehicle, along with about $1,000. O'Scha said that at the time she was addicted and abusing prescription medications.
Leavitt then put the woman in his cruiser in handcuffs and drove her to the top of the hill across from Riverside High School. There Leavitt, a Cedar Grove officer identified only as Curry and a sheriff's deputy identified as Kegler each did a full-body pat down of O'Scha, touching her breasts, rear end and all over her body, according to the court filing.
"They held her on the hill for over an hour and advised her that if she would have sex with any of the officers, she would not have to go to jail," according to the filing.
O'Scha refused and Leavitt and Curry took her to the Cedar Grove police station, where she was charged with possession of drugs with intent to deliver.
She was alone with Leavitt from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m., when she was taken to South Central Regional Jail, according to the complaint. During the three hour period, Leavitt kept implying that O'Scha should have sex with Leavitt or give him oral sex, according to the complaint.
O'Scha said Friday the charges against her were dropped by a magistrate because Leavitt was serving in Iraq and wasn't present for a hearing. "I don't know why they still have my car impounded," she said.
In September, Leavitt was suspended from the Montgomery police force after he and another officer allegedly used racial epithets and repeatedly hit a man over the head with a blackjack, kicking him in the back and spraying his eyes with Mace at close range.
Twan Reynolds and his wife Lauren filed a lawsuit in Kanawha Circuit Court last week against Leavitt, Patrolman Shawn Hutchinson and the city of Montgomery.
Earlier this week, another woman said Leavitt was called to her home to break up a fight between her husband and another man in September 2007.
Lakisha White said Leavitt jumped on her husband's back and Maced him when her husband turned his back on the officer. White said she was Maced too, and Leavitt grabbed her by the back of the neck, injuring her spine.
Reach Gary Harki at gha...@wvgazette.com or 348-5163.
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