Former inmate sues Division of Corrections for sexual misconduct

CHARLESTON -- A former Lakin Correctional Facility inmate is suing the state Division of Corrections and a correctional officer she claims sexually harassed and abused her.

An unnamed man was also named as a defendant in the suit.

Joni Bragg was incarcerated at Lakin Correctional Faciliy from 2006 until 2009 and was sexually harassed and abused by David Francis, who was a correctional officer, according to a complaint filed Oct. 26 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Bragg claims the correctional officer "visited extreme cruel and unusual punishment" upon her.

The defendants' conduct was "atrocious, intolerable and so extreme and outrageous as to exceed the bounds of decency and so outrageous as to offend community notions of acceptable behavior," according to the complaint.

Bragg claims the West Virginia Division of Corrections owed a duty to her to provide a reasonably safe confinement facility and a duty to properly hire, train, retain and supervise its correctional officers and inmates. She claims it failed to do so.

Bragg is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. She is being represented by Matthew J. Woelfel.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Louis Bloom.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 10-C-1923