'Hog-tied' woman sues jail officials

Lawsuit claims civil rights were violated during detention.
By Amos Bridges
Ozarks Local News
Sep. 21, 2007

A Butterfield woman who allegedly was "hog-tied" and shocked multiple times with a Taser at the Barry County Jail is suing in federal court.

Melissa A. "Missy" Norman, 41, claims her civil rights were violated during a July 23 incident at the jail.

At least a half dozen officers from the Barry County Sheriff's Department and Cassville Police Department previously were placed on leave because of the incident, which is being investigated by the Missouri Highway Patrol.

None of the officers has been charged.

Norman "was handcuffed, leg shackled, hog-tied, blindfolded and tasered numerous times," according to a news release issued by her her attorneys, John Lewright and Robert Foulke.

Lewright said Monday the Taser incident was recorded by a video camera in the booking area, although he had yet to receive a copy of the recording.

Lewright said he took the case — he normally focuses on criminal defense — because it "infuriated" him. The slow pace of the investigation into the woman's jail treatment and a delay in receiving the video have only added to that frustration, he said.

"If people hog-tied a dog and then took a cattle prod to that dog ... they would be federally prosecuted," he said.

The lawsuit claims: Norman's constitutional rights under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments were violated; the departments failed to properly supervise the officers; Norman was discriminated against under the Americans with Disabilities Act; and she was the victim of battery, negligence and infliction of emotional distress.

Those named in the lawsuit include:

- Barry County Sheriff Mick Epperly

- Deputy Kris Buckholz

- Deputy Joey Griffith

- Deputy Lawrence House

- An unknown female jailer

- Cassville Police Chief Lonnie McCullough, Sr.

- Officer Steve Vulmer

- Officer Michael Moore

- Officer Willis Stephens

- Officer Bill Watkins

Lawsuit claims abuse

According to the lawsuit, Norman "was having personal difficulties" July 23 and contacted a law enforcement officer at his home.

She was taken by ambulance to St. John's hospital in Cassville and given medicine to make her vomit.

Norman then left the hospital voluntarily but was later apprehended by a group of law enforcement officers, who "tackled, handcuffed, and leg-shackled" her, according to the lawsuit.

The handcuffs and leg shackles were tied together behind her back while an officer "was digging his knee into Missy's neck so she could not breathe," the lawsuit said.

Norman allegedly was put into the back of a patrol car without a seat belt and taken to the Barry County Jail.

Once there, a group of officers carried her into a booking area and allegedly taunted her.

Norman "was terrified and started hitting her head," the lawsuit said.

The officers allegedly taped a towel around her head with duct tape, then began shooting her with a Taser multiple times.

The lawsuit said that at one point the officers lifted Norman's shirt above her stomach to administer the Taser to her bare skin, causing burn wounds.

Norman's screams of pain and pleas that the officers stop were repeatedly ignored, the lawsuit said.

She eventually was placed in a jail cell but not released to a hospital until the next morning.

Six were punished for incident

Neither Epperly, the sheriff, nor McCullough, the police chief, returned phone calls seeking comment Monday.

Epperly — who was away at a conference at the time of the incident — said in an interview in July that Norman was emotionally disturbed and went to the home of an off-duty officer threatening suicide at about 10 p.m. the night of the incident.

Epperly said he was told officers tracked down Norman after she left the hospital out of concern for her safety.

She became combative, he said, spat at and tried to harm officers, as well as herself.

At the jail, Norman reportedly was hitting her head on the floor before a deputy used a Taser on her twice, the sheriff said.

Epperly said the deputy's actions violated jail procedures and that deputy and two others who were nearby during the incident were placed on paid administrative leave.

Attempts Monday to determine their current status with the department failed.

Three Cassville officers also present during the incident were placed on leave by their chief, Epperly said in July, adding that he believed the men had resigned.

The lawsuit does not state a specific amount of money sought but asks for compensatory and punitive damages.












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