Feb. 15--A search of public records reveals a very different story concerning a case of alleged police brutality in Grayson.
Glenn Jackson Jr. is suing the Grayson Police Department, its chief and several of its current and former officers in federal court, alleging he was beaten when officers came to serve a search warrant at his home on July 10, 2010.
According to an affidavit, a burglary occurred at Town Branch Apartments in Grayson on July 9, 2010. Witness testimony led police to search Jackson's home on July 10.
The Carter County Detention Center confirmed that Jackson refused medical treatment when he was booked into the facility in the early morning hours of July 11, 2010.
Grayson police recovered a Sony DVD player, three acoustic guitars, two harmonicas, one electric guitar, two ATV batteries, one mandolin, two weed eaters, two blowers, two sets of hawk feet, and one semi-automatic handgun.
Jackson's case was bound over to the grand jury, but no action has been taken. There is no statute of limitations on a felony charge.
Jackson filed the suit in U.S. District Court in Ashland in July of last year. He did so without an attorney.
During Jackson's arraignment and preliminary hearings, Michael Curtis was listed as his attorney. Calls to Mr. Curtis were not returned at press time.
The case lay dormant for several months. The 120-day window for Jackson to have the defendants served expired in December but Senior U. S. District Judge Henry R. Wilhoit Jr. granted Jackson an extension, according to court records. The defendants were served in January and their responses were filed last week.
Defendants in the suit are the police department, its chief, Ed Ginter, Det.-Sgt. Travis Steele, Sgt. Tony Cantrell, Officer Chris Yavorcik, former Officer Casey Brammell, now Carter County sheriff; the city and its mayor, George Steele, father of Travis Steele.
In the suit, Jackson claims GPD officers came to his home during the late evening hours of July, 10, 2010, to serve a search warrant. The officers were looking for stolen items Jackson had allegedly received, the complaint states.
While the officers were executing the warrant, Jackson alleges one of them, Travis Steele, attacked him and caused him to take several blows to the right ear.
Jackson claims the beating left the ear bruised and bleeding and that he also suffered a broken rib, acute kidney failure and had to have surgery on his penis.
"Plaintiff has reason to believe that it was the intention of Travis Steele to injure the plaintiff, which is in violation and contravention of his training as a GPD officer, as it has never been the training of any competent police officer to attack a person when executing a search warrant," the suit states.
Jackson claims one of the lasting health effects he has suffered as a result of the beating has been "unlocalized tinnitus," or ringing in the ears. He also alleges he is still under a doctor's care for his injuries.
In separate replies, the officers and George Steele deny any wrongdoing. They also cite numerous defenses, including "absolute, sovereign, qualified and/or official immunities" available to them under the Kentucky Claims Against Local Government Act.
The defendants also maintain Jackson's claims are barred by the statute of limitations, and that the damages claimed by the plaintiff "are the result of the plaintiff's own negligence."
The officers are represented in the suit by attorney Michael Fox of Olive Hill, while George Steele is represented by Grayson City Attorney Reid Glass.
Police Chief Ed Ginter and Det. Sgt. Travis Steele declined to comment because the litigation is pending.
Leeann Akers can be reached at [email protected] or by telephone at 474-5101.
Copyright 2012 - Grayson Journal-Enquirer, Ky.
