Lawsuit claims woman was baptised by a Tennessee police officer under threat of drug charges.
Video / ABC
A US woman is suing two police officers and her local government after she says the men pulled her over before subjecting her to a body search and baptising her in a nearby lake.
A lawsuit filed on September 30 in Hamilton County, Tennessee, alleges that Deputy Daniel Wilkey and Deputy Jacob Goforth took part in the incident, which the complainant, Shandle Marie Riley, says left her feeling "violated".
Riley claims in the lawsuit that the incident happened on a late night in February of this year after she pulled into a service station, whereWilkey was.
After buying petrol and cigarettes, Riley says she left, only to be pulled over shortly after, in the driveway of a house she was visiting.
The lawsuit says Wilkey told Riley he believed she possessed methamphetamine and ordered her out of her car before searching her body, including touching her breasts and genital area through her clothing.
Riley claims she was "violated" by the alleged baptism. Photo / Hamilton County Jail
Riley claims she asked if a female officer could be present for the search, to which Wilkey replied "the law did not require" it.
Asked by Wilkey if there was anything illegal in the car, Riley told him there was a marijuana "roach" in a pack of cigarettes and passed the pack to the office.
Wilkey then searched the vehicle, and the lawsuit claims he "continually insulted" the plaintiff, calling her a "piece of s***," threatening her over her criminal record and saying she was lying about not possessing other drugs.
The lawsuit says Wilkey found nothing other than the "roach."
At this point, the routine stop then allegedly took a bizarre turn, with the lawsuit claiming Wilkey asked Riley if she was "saved" and believed in Jesus Christ.
Riley responded that she believed in Jesus Christ, but that she was not "saved" by her own choice.
Deputy Wilkey is under investigation over a previous incident. Photo / Hamilton County Sheriff's Office
The lawsuit claims Wilkey then told Riley that "God was talking to him during the vehicle search, and [he] felt the Lord wanted him to baptise the plaintiff," and said that he felt "the spirit."
The deputy told Riley he would not take her to jail if she followed his commands and ordered her inside to get some towels.
While fetching the towels Riley told her friend inside the house that she was not sure it was safe to go with Wilkey but would go if it helped her avoid jail.
She then followed Wilkey to a nearby lake, where they were joined by Goforth.
The lawsuit alleges that Wilkey told Riley that Goforth was there to witness the baptism and "attest" to it so that it was valid.
Wilkey then stripped to his boxers, asking Riley if she would also like to remove her clothes. She declined.
The lawsuit alleges that Wilkey then plunged her under the cold water, holding her beneath the surface for "several moments" with his hands on her back and breasts.
