LEXINGTON, MO (KCTV) -
Jamie Liese said a Ray County Sheriff's Office lieutenant assaulted her in a sexual manner and led to her going to a hospital for arm injuries.
Liese recently filed a lawsuit against Ray County, Lt. Brian Bush and Kim Davis, the interim director of the 911 operations.
"I don't know what started it, I don't know why it happened," Liese told KCTV5. "It was kind of out of the blue."
In her lawsuit, Liese said that Bush assaulted her on July 21. She said Bush stepped on her foot and failed to apologize.
"He then demanded a writing pen from Mrs. Liese's desk," according to the lawsuit. "When finished with that pen, he threw it at Mrs. Liese's feet."
The dispatcher said she told the major that he was rude. He responded to this by grabbing her left wrist and bending it.
"Forcing her to cry out in pain and to repeatedly beg him to stop," according to the lawsuit. "Lt. Bush continued to bend Mrs. Liese's wrist, but began twisting her left arm so far backward that Mrs. Liese could touch the back of her head with her hand. She begged him to stop as she was in severe pain."
Bush responded by grabbing her right arm and causing more pain.
"Lt. Bush pinned Mrs. Liese against the printer and fax machine, binding both of Mrs. Liese's arms. He then wrapped his right leg around Mrs. Liese's right leg, fully immobilizing Mrs. Liese," according to the lawsuit. "Lt. Bush held Mrs. Liese in that position for nearly five minutes. The front of Lt. Bush's body was pressed against the back of Mrs. Liese's body, wrapping around Mrs. Liese in a sexually suggestive and harassing manner."
He then pointed a loaded Taser at her stomach, according to the lawsuit, and repeatedly accused her of being a lesbian.
"Lt. Bush told Mrs. Liese over and over that she... 'just needed to admit it,'" according to the lawsuit.
Liese said Davis witnessed the attack, but took no action to protect her employee. Instead, Davis laughed, according to the lawsuit.
But the then director of the Ray County 911 operations did take action, according to the lawsuit. Liese said that supervisor advised her to go to the hospital for treatment, which she did.
A doctor said Liese suffered pulled and strained muscles and advised rest. The next day, Liese filed a report with Missouri Highway Patrol, which investigated the allegations but took no action.
Liese also got Richmond police to step up patrols around the dispatch office.
The then director got Bush suspended from the 911 advisory board, but that person abruptly resigned a week later. Davis was promoted to replace that man and Liese said he began to take retaliatory actions against her. This included shifting her from days to night shifts even though she had more seniority than other dispatchers.
Liese said she protested the schedule change because her husband worked nights as well, and they would have no child care for their toddler son.
Davis let dispatchers that Liese had complained about read her written complaint, according to the lawsuit.
"The dispatchers reacted to these complaints by becoming angry, disrespectful, contemptuous and vengeful toward Mrs. Liese," according to the lawsuit. "Life at work became insufferable. for Mrs. Liese."
Under such pressure, Liese said she had no choice but to resign. She gave two weeks notice on Sept. 7. On Sept. 12, she was told her services were no longer needed. She was not paid the full two weeks.
Liese contends that her complaints led to hostile and discriminatory treatment by Davis. Bush was never disciplined for his sexual harassment, according to the lawsuit.
She now works at her family's restaurant in Lexington. She said she has suffered physical pain and emotional anguish. She said she was embarrassed and humiliated and had medical bills as a result of her injuries.
Liese is seeking at least $25,000 in damages.
She said she won't stay silent about what happened to her.
"I want people to know what happened," she said. "I'm not really looking for anything out of this except justice, that I get the justice I deserve."
Bush could not be reached for comment. The sheriff's office did not return calls seeking comment. Ray County officials and Davis declined comment.
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