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WEST VIRGINIA RECORD

Friday, March 29, 2024

Three women who used State Police locker rooms file intent to sue over hidden camera

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A West Virginia State Police cruiser | Courtesy photo

CHARLESTON – Three women who regularly used the female locker room at the West Virginia State Police Academy have filed a notice of intent to sue over allegations a hidden camera was used there.

The two retired uniformed employees and one civilian sent a letter March 22 to Colonel Jack Chambers, interim superintendent of the State Police, and Attorney General Patrick Morrisey alerting them to forthcoming legal action. The names of the three women are not included in the letter.

The letter was sent through attorney Teresa Toriseva of Toriseva Law in Wheeling. She said the women’s identities aren’t yet being revealed to prevent further harm.


Toriseva

“Our clients regularly used the female locker room at the West Virginia State Police Academy during their career and after their retirement as West Virginia State Police employees,” the letter states. “The civilian female, as a dependent of a uniformed state police officer, also utilized these private areas of the academy facilities.

“According to the now publicized anonymous letter sent to Governor (Jim) Justice, the office of the Attorney General, and numerous other state lawmakers on or about February 16, 2023, a hidden camera was placed and operated inside the female locker room at the State Police Academy.”

Toriseva said her firm’s clients are appalled by what happened to them.

“The level of outrage and violation felt by our clients almost can’t be measured,” Toriseva told The West Virginia Record. “Each of them feel enormous pride in their service with the WVSP, making this gross privacy invasion even more devastating.

“The apparent alleged failure by top brass at the WVSP to protect their privacy from voyeurism in their own police women’s locker room is unacceptable.”

Charleston attorney Troy Giatras sent a similar letter to Morrisey and former State Police Superintendent Jan Cahill last month on behalf of four women who also used the women's locker room. And on March 1, attorney David Moye sent a letter to Morrisey and Cahill on behalf of Cpl. Joseph Comer, who was arrested in February on charges of felony strangulation and misdemeanor domestic battery in incidents involving a female State Trooper.

Comer was arrested about a week after the anonymous letter was sent to lawmakers and state government officials. Moye told WSAZ reporter Curtis Johnson the State Police believe Comer was the author of the anonymous letter.

On March 20, Cahill resigned his position. Justice named Chambers the interim superintendent.

The State Police has been the subject of criticism and investigation in recent weeks following an anonymous letter making monetary and sexual allegations about the agency and troopers.

Justice confirmed the video recordings in the women’s locker room were made in 2015 by a now-deceased Trooper and the 2020 destruction of a hard drive that included some of those recordings.

“Our three victims know they accessed and used the female locker room at the West Virginia State Police Academy during the relevant time the anonymous letter indicates,” Toriseva’s letter states. “The anonymous letter further indicates this hidden camera was placed in the female locker room by a separate West Virginia State Police employee.

“This fact has been reported by multiple media outlets and other witnesses and individuals with knowledge of these events. When evidence of the unwarranted, unauthorized, and illegal surveillance was discovered, another uniformed West Virginia State Police employee allegedly destroyed that evidence.”

Justice also confirmed the involvement of a State Trooper in a casino theft and an active investigation regarding a death along Interstate 81 involving a State Trooper. Other allegations against the State Police include misuse of federal and state dollars, ghost accounts using public money for secret unauthorized personal purchases, high-level staffers engaging in inappropriate behavior in state offices and vehicles and illegal overtime practices resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent payments.

Department of Homeland Security Jeff Sandy led the investigation that includes an independent inspector general and two other staff members. The investigation is complete, but the findings have not been publicly revealed.

Justice also has confirmed a separate federal investigation in the matter.

In the letter from the three women, Toriseva said she anticipates filing claims for spoliation of evidence.

“As an alternative to filing suit, we would request a meeting to discuss these allegations and a possible resolution to the same,” the letter states. “If you are agreeable to meet prior to the expiration of the thirty 30 days, please contact me.”

In a March 23 interview, former Superintendent Jan Cahill told MetroNews’ Hoppy Kercheval he was a scapegoat, adding he was going to be dismissed if he didn’t resign March 20. He had been superintendent since Justice took office in 2017.

“I have no faith, I said this from early on, in this investigation,” Cahill said. “I felt like these guys were just handed this investigation: ‘Find something.’ I think it’s been totally unfair.”

Cahill said the video recordings were made by a now-deceased State Trooper in 2015. He said he learned of the video and destruction of images on a thumb drive in late 2020.

“They absolutely destroyed the thumb drive,” Cahill told Kercheval. “You could call it evidence. But I think looking back — and I wasn’t there; I can only surmise — I don’t know if they looked at it in disgust and thought ‘Hey we’re going to protect this lady,’ I don’t know.”

Justice said he wants Chambers, who had been a deputy with the state Capitol Police, to review the state investigation.

“There are many areas of allegations,” Justice said. “Jack Chambers will address those allegations.”

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