Flex cops sued for $1M

Daily Record, The (Baltimore), Oct 19, 2006 by Barbara Grzincic

A woman who came forward with rape allegations against Baltimore City Police Officer Jemini Jones has filed a $1 million lawsuit against him and two of his fellow "flex squad" officers.

Jones was indicted in May for the events described in the woman's complaint, recorded yesterday in Baltimore City Circuit Court.

According to the pleadings, the woman was at her boyfriend's home on Oct. 24, 2005, waiting for him to come back with some take-out food, when Jones arrived with other flex squad officers.

The plainclothes officers interrogated her about her boyfriend's activities and searched his Monastery Street home.

Jones allegedly said he found a gun in the kitchen, and threatened to arrest the woman unless she had sex with him.

"Having been repeatedly threatened with criminal charges and told she was to be transported to central booking, [the plaintiff] complied with Officer Jones' order," the complaint says.

The woman notified the police department, which conducted an investigation that led to the May indictment.

It was the second indictment for Jones. In January, he was indicted for rape after another woman said he made a sex-for- freedom deal with her at the Southwestern District police station.

Fellow flex-squad officers Brian Shaffer and Steven Hatley were indicted with Jones in January for allowing the alleged rape to occur. Neither was indicted in May, but both are named as defendants in the present civil suit.

All three officers have pled not guilty to the criminal charges and are awaiting a December court date.

Earlier this month, Jones was charged with running a red light, failing to stop for the police officer who pursued him and possession of a loaded handgun. Trial on the handgun charge is scheduled for Nov. 2 in district court on Wabash Avenue.

The civil suit was filed by attorney Randall J. Craig Jr. Warren A. Brown represents Jones in the criminal matters.

The police department is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit, but the plaintiff alleges the officers were acting in the course of their employment.