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SALT LAKE CITY — A Ft. Union woman is accusing a former Cottonwood Heights police officer of raping her more than a year ago.
Shauna Blue, along with her husband Benjamin Blue, cited the rape in a civil lawsuit filed Wednesday in federal court. The couple is saying former officer Jeremy Lamph violated her constitutional rights, spawning various damages, including giving the woman a sexually transmitted disease.
Lamph, 37, worked with the department for about a year and is no longer employed by Cottonwood Heights police, according to Cottonwood Heights Police Chief Robby Russo.
The couple is saying former officer Jeremy Lamph violated her constitutional rights, spawning various damages, including giving the woman a sexually transmitted disease.
The lawsuit states Lamph resigned after the alleged July 17, 2010, incident was reported. However, Russo declined to say why Lamp is no longer employed, saying he cannot discuss personnel matters. As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, Russo had not seen a copy of the lawsuit and could not comment on the issue.
Robert Sykes, attorney for the Blues, said the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office declined to file charges at the time, as the officer claimed the sex was consensual.
Shauna Blue had been at a family wedding reception where she got drunk and her husband drove her home, according to the suit. They subsequently got into a "minor argument" and observers called police for assistance.
Lamph was one of several officers who responded to the incident and later gave the couple the option of being separated instead of going to jail. The suit states Lamph later took Shauna Blue, who had been getting ready for bed and was only wearing a "loose-fitting tank top and stretch pants," to a motel for the night.
En route, the couple maintains Lamph used several profanities on the phone, in telling Benjamin Blue not to call his wife, and also made "inappropriate sexual comments" about the woman's appearance.
Lamph provided the woman with $25 after she could only withdraw $20 from an ATM and he watched her check into the motel. He allegedly continued to text Shauna Blue throughout the night, also saying he'd return to take photos of the woman's injuries she received during the dispute with her husband.
Shauna Blue claims to be severely injured and damaged by the incident, having attempted suicide twice since it happened, and "still suffers daily from horrible memories of the event," court documents state.
Upon arrival, Lamph is accused of exposing himself to the woman, tearing off her clothing and raping her, according to the lawsuit.
"He forced himself on her, totally just a shock to my client," Sykes said. "He was in uniform and violently and viciously assaulted her."
Lamph reportedly continued to contact the woman, telling her not to tell anyone about their "secret," the lawsuit states
Shauna Blue claims to be severely injured and damaged by the incident, having attempted suicide twice since it happened, and "still suffers daily from horrible memories of the event," court documents state. Amounts for compensation are set to be determined by a jury.
The lawsuit also names the Cottonwood Heights Police Department, as it hired and employed Lamph at the time.
"They've never taken responsibility for their actions," Sykes said. "Obviously this would be a very damaging thing to a woman."
Email:wleonard@ksl.com
