Kansas Supreme Court declines to hear state’s appeal in prison abuse case – Kansas Reflector

TOPEKA — The Kansas Supreme Court docket has declined to listen to a case involving allegations of sexual misconduct by a dental lab teacher on the state-run ladies’s jail in Topeka, holding his prison document clear.

Tomas Co has denied allegations made by ladies underneath his supervision from 2013 to 2018 whereas overseeing the dental lab on the Topeka Correctional Facility. Final 12 months, an appeals court docket overturned his conviction for illegal sexual relations with an inmate, that means he’ll face no punishment for undesirable touching and alleged sexual advances.

Sharon Sullivan, a Washburn College professor who has expertise working with ladies survivors of human trafficking and sexual violence, stated she was dissatisfied within the final result of Co’s case. Because the dental lab teacher, Sullivan stated, Co held a place of energy over ladies who had been afraid of dropping their place in a coveted program.

“I feel the message is actually clear to all of us that that their bodily autonomy and integrity just isn’t valued — that some individuals are above the legislation, and that we aren’t going to guard them from predators,” Sullivan stated. “I feel that’s actually clear.”

Six ladies testified about their private experiences with Co at his 2020 trial in Shawnee County District Court docket. Not less than a dozen ladies accused Co of inappropriate habits.

The ladies stated Co touched their breasts and genitals, tried to kiss them, pressed his genitals towards them, gave them intimate hugs and made inappropriate feedback. One girl testified that Co on a number of events compelled her to succeed in into his pants, the place he had eliminated his pockets, and rub his penis till he ejaculated.

Jurors rejected the claims of 5 ladies, convicting him on a single cost. The appeals court docket panel overturned the conviction after figuring out that touching an inmate’s inside thigh day-after-day with sexual want and with out her consent doesn’t qualify as “lewd.”

Judges Karen Arnold-Burger, G. Gordon Atcheson and Jacy J. Hurst wrote of their ruling that the touching was “inappropriate and unwarranted.” However the touching wasn’t “lewd,” the court docket stated, as a result of it didn’t undermine the inmate’s morals.

Chris Joseph, a Topeka lawyer who defended Co, stated the Kansas Supreme Court docket’s determination to not hear the case means the state has no extra avenues of attraction.

Sullivan, who volunteered with a inventive writing group within the jail earlier than the pandemic, stated many ladies there have skilled sexual abuse. For some, the jail is the most secure place they’ve ever been.

“We have now the next duty to watch out with our habits when we’ve got people who find themselves so weak,” Sullivan stated. “Definitely, incarcerated individuals are weak. They don’t have management over their lives. Different individuals do. And I might say, traditionally, ladies haven’t been believed once they’ve complained about sexual harassment, sexual violence, each on the within and out of doors. And in order that in a manner just isn’t a shock.”