FEMALE INMATE RAPED AT JAIL EAST

A female black states through her attorney,Javier Bailey that she was violently raped in March by a male Shelby County deputy jailer. The young woman whose initials will only be used in accord with the Rape Shield Act claims that she was raped by Timothy Harrell who since the incident has been terminated from the Shelby County Sheriff's department.

C.J. who is being held in Jail East on a shoplifting charge states that she was told to paint a room by Harrell under his sole supervision. While painting Harrell tells the young woman that she has missed a spot on the lower part of the wall that she is painting. C.J. states that when she bends over to paint the spot Harrell grabs her shirt from behind and twist so as to choke her.

C.J. states that as Harrell is choking her with her jail issued shirt he slams her forward against a wall and pulls her pants down and rapes her from behind. C.J. states that Harrell climaxed within a minute and threw her to floor. While screaming and crying for help without any reply or response she is told by Harrell to "Get up Bitch, and if you tell anyone you're never get out of here"

But C.J. did tell someone but was only taken to the MED to see if she had received a STD from the Shelby County deputy jailer. She was not taken to the Rape Crisis Center as should have been done. It's apparent that the Sheriff's department believes the woman because Timothy Harrell was fired but the question must be asked of the Sheriff why hasn't Harrell been charged with rape,and is there an attempt to cover up this crime against a person that the county has a legal obligation to protect.

There is a legal term called "Loco Parentis" which mean that the Sheriff becomes the local parent of any one in his jail and must by law provide housing,medical care,and protection. In the case of C.J when it comes to her protection there's a lot of answers that must be given by the Shelby County Sheriff's department.

The Sheriff's department must answer why C.J was alone with a male officer. It is a violation of the law for a male officer to be alone with a female prisoner without the presence of a female officer. Since C.J. was in an area alone with Harrell the question must be asked if Harrell conspired with other officers to get the female inmate alone for the purpose of rape which would make those other jailer accessories to the violent act of Harrell.

Since all prisoners are to be under camera surveillance when out of their cells where is the tape of the incident or C.J. being seen alone with the officer. Or is it because of the review of a tape that Harrell was fired.

Attorney Javier Bailey will be sending a letter to the U.S. Attorney Generals office asking for a full investigation into the rape of C.J. while in the custody of the Sheriff's department. The young woman who hopes to be released this weekend will appear on "The Thaddeus Matthews Show" on next week.

UPDATE: Speaking with Steve Schular of the Shelby County Sheriff's department he states that C.J. reported the rape on April 12,2009 when the alleged rape took place a month earlier which is the reason that the female inmate was not taken to The Rape Crisis Center which has to have a 72 hour window to be effective.

Schular also states that Timothy Harrell was not terminated but chose to resign when presented with the allegation. I was also informed that there is no law that prevents a male officer from being alone with a female inmate.

C.J. was able to preserve semen from her clothing after the alleged rape and DNA has been taken from Harrell to be compared in a lab. Schular States that the incident is under investigation and evidence will be submitted to a grand jury.