Image Credit: East TN Valley Crime Stoppers / X & Canva
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
The Sean Williams case, wherein a Johnson City businessman stands accused of more than 50 sexual assaults against women and children, has sparked multiple lawsuits accusing the Johnson City Police Department (JCPD) of corruption for mishandling victim reports and other distasteful practices.
One of the lawsuits, a federal case alleging the JCPD protected the serial rapist through several avenues including bribery, saw attorneys squabbling over subpoenas and depositions at a motion hearing last Wednesday.
Attorney Vanessa Baehr Jones, representing the plaintiffs consisting of nine of Williams’ alleged victims, argued her team needs time to examine cell phone logs and question a JCPD officer regarding his financial activities.
The defense countered that the plaintiffs had not shown any evidence of corruption therefore making the request too broad, but Baehr Jones maintained, “We’ve provided evidence (corruption) was coordinated to the very highest levels of JCPD. We need to attempt to prove what we’ve set forth.”
She reiterated that cell phone logs from at least two officers, including a former Captain who took early retirement simultaneously with other JCPD top officials, could help uncover more evidence of collusion, especially as she has already narrowed down time frames to specific events she wished to examine.
She also said that “less intrusive” methods like simply deposing officers about their phone activities are almost certain to fail in producing solid evidence since no one who has engaged in corruption is likely to testify truthfully.
“There’s no credible evidence that anyone accepted money from Sean Williams,” said Keith Grant, an attorney for one JCPD officer, though an outside consultant hired by the city did find the JCPD failed to, “collect evidence, interview suspects and witnesses and make arrests” in numerous sexual assault reports over a four-year period.
Ultimately, the defense attorney advocated that while his client would most likely not be opposed to depositions, “questions about his financial activities will only be designed to annoy, embarrass, harass, and unduly burden his client while not yielding any relevant information.”
Federal magistrate Jill McCook said she will rule on the motions, including one to unseal documents related to another Williams victim’s case, soon, with trial set for August of 2025.
Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
