A lawsuit filed recently in U.S. District Court against the Crystal Police Department claims that five of its officers carried out a reckless investigation against a city resident.
Paul A. Anderson is seeking monetary damages for spending roughly two months in jail after being arrested on rape allegations that he says were based on misleading police statements. The charges were eventually dropped.
"They withheld facts which would have exonerated Mr. Anderson, and those were not disclosed anywhere," said Zorislav Leyderman, Anderson's lawyer.
Crystal officials could not be reached for comment in time for publication, though when contacted last week, Police Chief Stephanie Revering said the city had not been served the suit at that time.
In his suit, Anderson alleges that police sent a female acquaintance to his home on March 18, 2013, as a confidential informant to obtain evidence to incriminate him. That evening, Anderson had sex with the informant, who left in the morning and later accused him of having raped her, the suit says.
The suit quotes a police report that states the informant didn't remember what had happened that night and was covered in bruises. She told police she had taken three shots of vodka and felt "really drunk" before going into Anderson's room.
The suit alleges that after having failed to obtain evidence against Anderson, the informant fabricated the rape to have her criminal charges removed or reduced. In an interview, Leyderman said the woman was aware of her situation and able to give consent.
In the police statement, officers said the informant had been given Klonopin, an anti-anxiety medication, at Anderson's house. It can be used as a "date rape" drug to render victims unconscious. The suit alleges that officers failed to mention that the informant had admitted she was taking a Klonopin prescription.
