GEORGETOWN, Del. - A lawsuit filed on July 31 accuses Kenneth L. P. Haynes, a Delaware State Police Trooper, of raping Georgetown woman Kristie Parker in 2022.
According to lawsuit documents obtained by CoastTV, the incident occurred after the trooper had responded to multiple domestic disturbance calls at Parker's home.
The lawsuit was filed in Delaware District Court by Parker and is being represented by Ronald Poliquin of The Poliquin Firm in Dover.
"This case represents an extreme abuse of power by Trooper Haynes against someone at their most vulnerable state," said Poliquin. "It is my hope that this lawsuit holds him accountable so this never happens to another victim at the hands of law enforcement. Citizens must be able to go to law enforcement for safety and protection, not to be preyed upon."
The Delaware Department of Justice could not provide comment "due to the ongoing nature of the case."
Delaware State Police did respond to CoastTV's request for comment in a statement saying, "the Delaware State Police takes the allegations against one of our troopers very seriously and recognizes the community's concerns."
State police said the agency will be working with the Delaware Department of Justice Division of Civil Rights and Public Trust and the Office of Professional Responsibility during this investigation. The accused trooper has been suspended with pay and benefits pending the outcome of the investigation, according to DSP.
Details in court documents say Haynes had responded to 911 calls from Parker before to the alleged rape. They state that Parker has a son with special needs due to a traumatic brain injury. Haynes responded to the home in May 2022 when a new medication caused the son to be "hearing voices." Haynes was reported to have helped calm Parker's son and left his phone number with her.
Later that year, Haynes responded to another 911 call from Parker when her husband had a "violent outburst" following the use of drugs and alcohol, according to documents. Haynes and a second officer arrested him.
Later that evening, Haynes called Parker and told her that he needed to come back to her home. Then, through Snapchat around 11 p.m. that night, the lawsuit states that Haynes returned to Parker's house, asked her to come outside and then grabbed her from behind, putting his arms around her.
Parker said in court documents that Haynes said he could help her with her own pending federal criminal charges and that he had friends who were federal agents. The documents state that Parker attempted to dissuade advances from the trooper several times before Haynes ultimately sexually assaulted her on the driver's seat of his police-issued SUV.
Parker claims that Haynes' body camera and laptop were turned off prior to the altercation but were turned back on afterward. Another trooper arrived at Parker's house to check on Haynes. Parker said Haynes proceeded to act as though he was taking down information about a drug dealer from her before both officers left the property.
The lawsuit states that two months later, the trooper approached her near the Royal Farms in Frankford. Haynes asked if she planned to tell anyone and if she would be interested in sex with him and another woman, to which documents say Parker responded no and asked to be left alone.
Haynes faces five charges, including:
- Count one for excessive force in violation of the Fourth Amendment.
- Count two for unlawful/unreasonable seizure of a person in violation of the Fourth Amendment.
- Count three for deprivation of due process in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment.
- Count four for assault and battery.
- Count five for the intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Parker is seeking monetary compensation from Haynes for depriving her of her constitutional rights and emotional damages. In a phone call with CoastTV, Parker stated that she hopes others who have been sexually assaulted will come forward as a result of this lawsuit.
Delaware State Police detectives are asking anyone with information about this case to contact Sergeant P. Taylor at 302-698-8434. Callers can remain anonymous.