Four women sue Division of Corrections for sexual misconduct

CHARLESTON -- Four women are suing the West Virginia Division of Corrections for sexual misconduct they suffered during incarceration.

C.O. Fredricks, C.O. Sams, C.O. Cochran, C.O. Rees, C.O. Anderson and C.O. Lafferty, as well as four unknown and unnamed people were also named as defendants in the suit.

Rachel Farley, Robin Ward, Tracy Jividen and Ryan McKown were incarcerated at various regional jails in West Virginia when they were sexually harassed, abused and assaulted by correctional officers, according to four complaints filed April 19 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

The women claim the Division of Corrections negligently allowed the conduct to occur.

The defendants owed a duty to the four women to provide reasonably safe confinement facilities and failed to do so, according to the suits.

The women claim the Division of Corrections staff also negligently breached their duties by failing to see to their safety.

As a result of the defendants' negligence, the four women were subjected to cruel and unusual punishment, according to the suits.

The women are seeking compensatory and punitive damages. They are being represented by Kerry A. Nessel and Timothy P. Rosinsky.

The cases have been assigned to Circuit Judges Tod J. Kaufman, Carrie Webster and Jennifer Bailey.

Kanawha Circuit Court case numbers: 12-C-682, 12-C-683, 12-C-690, 12-C-692