CIVIL RIGHTS

U.S. DISTRICT COURT, PANAMA CITY

A jury awarded $1 million to two inmates who were repeatedly sexually assaulted by a sheriff's corporal at the Bay County Jail.

Virginia Lindsey and Brandy Carnley claimed Pedro Reyes raped them while they were inmates at the Bay County Sheriff's Office Jail in 2013. They also claimed the jail warden should have known about Reyes' behavior and taken actions to stop him but failed to do so.

Frank McKeithen and Tommy Ford, in their official capacities as former and current deputies, denied the warden had any advance knowledge of Reyes' behavior. The jury found Reyes sexually assaulted both women and the warden knew or should have known Reyes would sexually assault the inmates but failed to take steps to stop it.

Case: Carnley v. McKeithen

Case No.: 5:17-cv-00085-RH/GRJ

Plaintiffs attorneys: Louis Jean-Baptiste Jr. and Stephen G. Webster, Law Office of Stephen G. Webster, Tallahassee

Defense attorneys: Lisa Marie Truckenbrod, Jolly Peterson & Truckenbrod, Tallahassee for McKeithen and Ford; Pedro Reyes, pro se