LA VERGNE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Shocking findings of sexual misconduct rocked the La Vergne Police Department earlier this year and led to a federal lawsuit. Now those named in the litigation are responding to the allegations.
Former officer Maegan Hall sued the city, the police chief and two of her supervisors. They've now responded, and one of the officers, Lewis Powell, has filed a counter-lawsuit, saying Hall isn't telling the truth. Hall's civil rights lawsuit was filed in February, and the defendants have now all submitted responses with the federal court — responses that deny most all of the allegations made by Hall.
Hall alleged that her supervisors groomed her for sexual exploitation.
Powell said he was not Hall's supervisor and what happened was fully consensual. He added that it was Hall who "began persistently flirting with him and pressuring him to engage in sexual relations with her."
And that: "Hall appeared to have some sort of fetish for Powell based on race."
Powel argues Hall's claims against him are false.
She and her attorney have yet to respond to those allegations but provided NewsChannel 5 with an exclusive interview on her perspective of the original filings.
"My supervisors worked together to take advantage of my vulnerabilities and mental heath, and they used it for their gain and their sexual pleasure," said Hall in an exclusive interview with NewsChannel 5 in February.
Hall talked about what happened during her time with the La Vergne Police Department.
"They isolated me and shunned me. They accused me and they blamed me for becoming a victim," she said.
Hall, two other officers and the police chief were fired. This came after two separate investigations found that Hall engaged in sexual activity and/or shared intimate photos and videos with several male officers.
"Maegan wasn't looked at as a rookie cop to be trained and promoted. She was looked at like a piece of meat to be sexualized and exploited," said her attorney Wesley Clark.
No criminal charges were ever filed concerning what happened involving the department. Both of these lawsuits are all civil issues that will be decided in federal court.
The defendants are asking that a federal judge dismiss the lawsuits.
A hearing is scheduled for later this month.
What's in the original lawsuit
The La Vergne Police Department hired Hall in 2021 to work second shift. She was the only woman on that shift.
According to the lawsuit, officers often talked about Hall in a sexual nature and what they would like to do to her. The lawsuit claims during one conversation, her superior Sgt. Powell asked her to have sex with him. She told him no. However, he persisted, and she eventually gave in to his requests.
The lawsuit goes on to say Sgt. Powell violated her on more than one occasion. Hall also claims Sgt. Powell recorded one of their sexual encounters and sent it to Sgt. McGowan and former Chief Davis.
Hall said the only way to atone for mistakes at work was with sexual favors. At times, Hall said in the suit she felt she had no choice but to provide sex when demanded. When she tried to end the relationship with Sgt. Powell, he threatened suicide.
"When Sgt. Powell wanted sex, he refused to take 'no' for an answer. He continued demanding sex, saying things like 'We’ll do it tomorrow,' or 'I’ve done so much for you, I’ve helped you,' and 'I’ve done so much for you in your personal life,' the lawsuit stated. "The sexually coercive environment on the second shift at the La Vergne Police Department triggered increasingly severe symptoms of mental illness in Ms. Hall."
In late 2022, the suit claims Chief Davis threatened to fire Hall if she didn't comply with his own sexual advances. The suit said her mental health deteriorated so much that she began harming herself. She was placed in a psychiatric hospital.
Hall is now suing the department — as well as her former supervisors and the city of La Vergne for an undisclosed amount of money.
