A former police officer in Killen, Alabama, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to federal charges related to a traffic stop where he sexually assaulted a woman. The incident has now led the victim to file a lawsuit against Jarrod Gailen Webster, the chief of the Killen Police Department, and the town itself.
According to court documents and prosecutors, Webster pulled over the woman on November 12, 2023. During the stop, he asked her how she wanted to “get out of this.” When she replied that she would not do anything and told him he could take her to jail, his body camera footage shows him turning off his device after she exited her vehicle. Prosecutors say Webster then handcuffed and raped her in his patrol car.
Prosecutors stated that Webster threatened the woman by saying he had her address from her ID and warned he would find her if she reported what happened. A sexual assault examination later confirmed Webster’s DNA was present.
Webster also pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of children in another case involving a different victim. In that instance, documents show he solicited explicit photos from a teenage girl whom he met at an Air Force base during her brother’s graduation.
The lawsuit alleges that the Killen Police Department failed to prevent Webster’s actions and accuses both Police Chief Bryan Hammond and the town of condoning his behavior by not providing proper training or supervision. The complaint references a Facebook comment made by Hammond that resulted in his suspension for 15 days. Hammond commented “silence is consent” under a political post but later clarified it was meant as a joke regarding people ignoring accusations from opposing sides.
The legal filing claims violations of federal constitutional rights including excessive force, cruel and unusual punishment, deprivation of due process through unlawful detention and sodomy. It also lists state law allegations such as assault and battery, false imprisonment, invasion of privacy, negligent training, supervision, and retention.
The amount sought in damages is not specified; the plaintiff requests a jury trial. As of September 5th, neither Webster nor representatives for Killen responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit.
Killen is located about 70 miles west of Huntsville.
