$1M verdict for teen, already a victim when she was assaulted by an officer

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The town of New Orleans owes $1 million to a teen who was already a sufferer of sexual assault when a metropolis police supply with a historical past of misconduct complaints continued the abuse — pretending to be a good friend and mentor earlier than ultimately assaulting her himself.

The decision got here Wednesday after a three-day trial, based on New Orleans information retailers. Within the 2021 lawsuit, attorneys for the sufferer and her household mentioned the officer, Rodney Vicknair, was assigned to move the sufferer to a hospital “regardless of a historical past of complaints, particularly together with predatory habits in the direction of ladies,” authorities mentioned.

The lawsuit forged the police division as irresponsible in assigning Vicknair to move the lady, and too sluggish to behave on a criticism, enabling him to assault the sufferer earlier than he was arrested. Shaun Ferguson, the now-retired superintendent, can be a defendant.

Vicknair had been a New Orleans police officer since 2007, based on court docket data. He was sentenced to a 14-year federal sentence within the associated legal case. Courtroom data present that he died on Jan. 1 of this 12 months.

Initially arrested on state costs that included sexual battery, Vicknair had pleaded responsible in federal court docket to deprivation of rights beneath shade of legislation.

Prosecutors mentioned on the time of his arrest that Vicknair, whereas transferring the sufferer to the hospital in 2020, provided to turn into the lady’s good friend and mentor and infrequently confirmed up at her home unannounced. However in time, based on court docket paperwork, he started making feedback to her that have been sexual in nature, ultimately persuading her to ship him sexually specific photos of herself that he stored on his telephone. Sexual molestation started when she was 14 and continued after she was 15, based on court docket data.

The lawsuit alleged there have been a number of assaults by Vicknair, together with one which occurred after police acquired a report about his habits however earlier than he was arrested.

Information retailers mentioned town’s lawyer declined remark Wednesday.