An impartial mediator has been selected to enter the lawsuit filed against a former Stone County jailer by a former inmate. Michael Blumenthal was sued seven months after he was charged with the felony of having sexual contact with the same intimate.
According to a document filed today in Western District Court for the Western District of Missouri, Springfield lawyer Jim Newberry has been appointed mediator. The first meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 26, at Newberry's office.
According to the woman's petition, in July 2003, Blumenthal:
-Required and demanded she show him her breasts-required and demanded she simulate masturbation and demanded that she "be loud about it."
-required and demanded she stand in the nude at a position where he could see her nude body-required her to allow him to feel between, around and about her breasts-required her to submit to "searches" in which he would require her to stand near while he placed his face about her panties, sniffed her panties, and then pronounced, "she's clean."
-required she cooperate and assist him in his attempts to commit similar abuses against other female inmates.The woman said she submitted to Blumenthal's "sexual harassment, abuse and assault" because she received no help when she reported the conduct. "When plaintiff reported defendant's conduct to other officers," the petition said, "her complaints were turned aside, and she was told, 'You are going to make your time worse here,' 'we don't have time for these lies,' or 'that's not what Officer Blumenthal says.' "
The woman says Blumenthal threatened her by saying, "Give up, put out, or don't get out." She said she took that and other statements made by Blumenthal as threats, such as when he told her "of his prowess and ability with handguns, telling plaintiff that his nickname was 'Shooter' and 'someday' he would teach her 'how to shoot to kill.'When she submitted to his demands, the woman said, she was given extra privileges, including "added telephone calls, soft drinks, candy, additional library cart privileges, scented shampoos, occasional releases from her cell, and, on two occasions, marijuana."The woman is asking for "actual damages in such amount as will be deemed adequate to fairly and reasonably compensate her for all damages sustained; and for an additional judgment for punitive damages in such amount as may be determined" to keep Blumenthal and others from treating prisoners in that manner.
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