Opinion ID: 891216
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The January 10, 2007 A.L. Complaint

Text: The complaint that was unknown to GJPD concerned Officer Coyne’s actions when he was working for MCSO and just before he started working for GJPD. On 2 The defendants contend that Officer Coyne’s statements, as reported by Ms. Schneider, are inadmissible hearsay. We disagree. The statements are not hearsay because they are not offered for the truth of the matter asserted. See Fed. R. Evid. 801(c) (defining hearsay). -6- January 10, 2007, A.L.3 complained to MCSO that on January 8, 2007, Officer Coyne sexually abused her during a nighttime drug raid at her house. The written report of A.L.’s complaint states that all of the men in the house were arrested, but A.L. and her mother were not. During these events, Officer Coyne searched A.L. three times. The first two times were pat-downs, during which Officer Coyne rubbed and groped A.L. in her crotch area. A.L. lifted her blouse to avoid her breasts being touched. The third time, A.L. was in her bedroom. Officer Coyne came in alone, said he wanted to search her again, and told her to pull down her pants and underwear. Then another officer came in and told Officer Coyne it was time to go. GJPD learned about A.L.’s complaint only after the assault on Ms. Schneider. GJPD’s hiring background check on Officer Coyne was completed in December 2006 and was not updated through his January 15, 2007 start date. The A.L. incident occurred during this interim period. No one at MCSO informed GJPD about A.L.’s complaint until after Ms. Schneider reported her assault on September 29, 2009.