Women Sue Webster County for Sexual Abuse in Jail
Webster County, Kentucky (September 14, 2021) – Yesterday, two women filed a federal civil rights suit alleging serious sexual abuse against former Webster County deputy Arthur Dale Collins, along with other deputies, former Jailer Morgan McKinley, and Webster County. The women were prisoners at the Webster County Jail and were abused by former deputy Collins at various times in 2020.
The sexual abuse these women experienced was part of a flagrant pattern of misconduct by Defendants, including sexual coercion and exploitation, sexual harassment, and physical assault against numerous women prisoners by Defendant Arthur Dale Collins, a former deputy at the jail. Collins’ misconduct ranged from tasing women for his own sexual gratification to verbal sexual harassment, ordering women to engage in sexual acts, and groping, intimidating, and threatening women.
Defendant Sergeant Tabitha Willis, Collins’ supervisor, actively participated in the abuse of prisoners with Defendant Collins. Defendant Jennifer Reynolds, another deputy, also knew of, and was complicit in, Collins’ conduct.
The lawsuit alleges that Webster County Jailer Morgan McKinley was on notice about the ongoing abuse of women prisoners by Collins and allowed it to continue. While multiple prisoners complained about Collins, these complaints were ignored. No one intervened or attempted to prevent the ongoing abuse of women in the jail. Jailer McKinley and deputies Willis and Reynolds not only failed to protect these women, but also enabled Collins to continue to abuse and harass women prisoners.
Collins is now facing numerous charges for his abuse of women in the Webster County Jail.
The women are represented by attorneys at Friedman, Gilbert + Gerhardstein in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the Larry Simon Law Office in Louisville, Kentucky. They are all working together in the lawsuit.
“The abuse these women experienced at the hands of deputy Collins is utterly shocking. That other deputies in this jail—including a supervisor—knew about, participated in, and helped to cover up this heinous misconduct is beyond the pale.”
Co-counsel for the plaintiffs, Larry Simon, adds, “Webster County and Jailer McKinley knowingly allowed these women to suffer and permitted this deputy to continue his acts of abuse. These women have suffered serious physical and emotional injuries and we will seek substantial damages on their behalf.”
The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Owensboro. The women are identified only as Jane Doe 1 and 2 to protect their privacy. The attorneys say additional women were victims of sexual abuse by Collins.
About Larry Simon Law Office: We have been defending the rights of people accused of criminal offenses since 1985. When law enforcement officers abuse the powers given to them and when jailers harm our clients, the Simon Law Office takes the legal steps necessary to hold these government agents and their agencies accountable. For more information: LarrySimonLaw.com