CASITAS SPRINGS : Wrongly Jailed Man Files for Retribution
A Casitas Springs man who was wrongly arrested and labeled the “Ojai Valley rapist” is accusing Ventura County officials of violating his civil rights.
Jason Hawthorne, 22, filed a civil complaint in federal court Thursday, alleging that several top-ranking Ventura County officials falsely arrested, falsely imprisoned and slandered him.
Hawthorne was arrested Jan. 14 and charged with the sexual assault and rapes of four Ojai women. The string of sexual assaults terrified the Ojai Valley for most of 1994.
But authorities released Hawthorne a week after his arrest, saying they had the wrong man. Ventura County Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury issued a public apology shortly afterward, but Hawthorne claims in his suit that the apology was too little, too late.
Bradbury is named in the suit along with Sheriff Larry Carpenter, Sheriff’s Lt. Larry Robertson and Detective Susan Creed, an arresting officer.
Hawthorne said he was slandered when several media outlets quoted Robertson calling Hawthorne the “Ojai Valley rapist.”
Hawthorne seeks $12 million in damages.
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