CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A fourth victim has come forward claiming to have been sexually assaulted by a now dismissed Kanawha County Sheriff’s Deputy inside the Kanawha County Judicial Annex.
Charleston Attorneys Jesse Forbes and Dante DiTrapano represent the four victims who allege they were assaulted while in custody by former Deputy Cass Close. Close was charged after the first victim came forward with her allegations and was fired from his job as a bailiff in the county courthouse. He has not been charged criminally for the allegations against the other three victims, but they have filed civil suits against Close and the Kanawha County Commission.
The most recent victim, identified as “C.C.V.4”, claimed in court documents she was taken from the South Central Regional Jail to the Judicial Annex and transferred to the custody of Deputy Close in the first floor holding area. The victim said she asked Close if she could use the restroom. She claimed he went into the restroom with her, forced her to pull down her pants, and sexually assaulted her while she was still in shackles and handcuffs. Court documents further claimed Close used his phone to take pictures of her with her pants off. The incident ended when the victim said Close heard somebody coming.
“Once again there are allegations of another victim of a former bailiff who was allowed to apparently run rampant through the halls of justice and cause immeasurable harm. These brave survivors have come forward to hold not only this former bailiff accountable but also the county itself to help ensure the things that were obviously broken are fixed, and that no one else’s daughter, mother, or loved one is abused in this way.” said Forbes in a statement.
“As alleged, this former deputy obviously preyed on the weak and vulnerable and it’s hard to imagine anyone more vulnerable than a detainee in handcuffs and shackles that is totally dependent on the police for even the basic need of going to a bathroom. With the pattern that has emerged it is alarming that these abuses were allowed to continue on so many different occasions and with so many different victims. A perp in a Wal-Mart wouldn’t get away with so many different attacks. You would expect the security at the largest state courthouse in West Virginia to be able to protect people better than that.”
The allegations are almost identical to the other three victims’ claims, except it’s the first time another deputy has been implicated. Another court bailiff is accused in the most recent court action of not intervening to stop Close and protect the female inmate’s civil rights. He’s identified in the suit only as “Deputy John Doe.”
“Unfortunately, as detailed in these complaints, the alleged abuse by Close and missed warning signs by the county caused so many to be forced to endure a shocking and life-changing type of abuse. To be locked up, cuffed, shackled, and at the mercy of a sexual predator that was provided a badge and a gun is a nightmarish event on its own. But to have such atrocities happen in the middle of the courthouse, in areas that should have been constantly surveilled by police presence is utterly disturbing.” said DiTrapano in a released statement.
“For the survivors, it is now a constant traumatic wound that they will be forced to bear forever. Our country was built on the ideal that we are supposed to be equals and are supposed to come to courtrooms for truth and justice. Our clients in these matters came to court, and put their faith in these deputies, but found the direct opposite of justice. We are confident that through this civil process they will at least find a sense of accountability from all who bear responsibility for these shocking wrongs.”