Eric Isaacs is the nephew of the village’s mayor, Earl Isaacs.
The lawsuit claims that on Feb. 4, 2009, police entered the Isaacs’ apartment at 132 High St. after being informed there was a temporary protection order prohibiting Eric Isaacs from being at that address.
The Isaacs were showering together when the police entered without consent, the lawsuit claims, and forced both to stand naked in front of the police while the officers at the scene called dispatch to confirm the existence of a protection order.
When Brittany Isaacs asked for permission to cover herself she was denied by the police, the lawsuit alleges. No order prohibiting Eric Isaacs from being at the apartment actually existed, the lawsuit says.
A week later on Feb. 11, 2009, the suit alleges that Waynesville police chief Gary Copeland allowed Melissa Hurkes to enter the Isaacs’ apartment and remove items from the premise.
Hurkes allegedly told Copeland that she was a former resident of the apartment who was leaving and wanted to take her personal property with her, even though in truth that was not the case, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit does not explain Hurkes relationship to the Isaacs or the apartment.
Although Waynesville officials declined to comment on the story, police reports spell out a different account of the story.
A police report filed by officer Shane Wiseman states that he and Officer Eric Jackson were sent to the Isaacs apartment on Feb. 4, 2009 by Warren County Children Services because there was a protection order against Eric Isaacs. The report said the officers were met at the apartment door by an unnamed woman who let them into the apartment and led at least one officer to the bathroom where the Isaacs were showering together. The report said that Brittany Isaacs emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a towel while Eric remained in the shower.
“I told him why we were here and he became angry and stated that he was being harassed and the TPO had been dropped,” Wiseman wrote in the report.
Another police report states that police were sent to the Isaacs apartment on Feb. 10, 2009 to serve Eric Isaacs with a no contact order as a result of allegation of domestic violence against him that were made on Jan. 23, 2009.
A police report written by Wiseman on Feb. 13 said that he was contacted by Hurkes, who said she had worked for Eric Isaacs as his nanny. She allegedly complained he had sent her threatening text messages and been harassing her after she quit, saying she refused to lie in court for them “regarding a proposed lawsuit they wanted to file against the police department.” The report does not go into detail over what she claimed Eric Isaacs wanted her to do.
The suit names the village of Waynesville, its police department, Police Chief Gary Copeland, Officers Shane Wiseman and Matt Jackson and two unknown officers, listed as John Doe No. 1 and 2 as defendants. Village officials said that while a Matt Jackson volunteers as a police officer for Waynesville, he was not employed by the village at the time the incident took place. Police records show an Eric Jackson responding to the scene on Feb. 4
The lawsuit asks for compensatory and punitive damages, but does not request a specific dollar amount.
Waynesville Mayor Earl Isaacs said he did not want to comment on the lawsuit. Both village manager Bruce Snell and village attorney Jeff Forbes declined comment.
Gregory Demos, the attorney for Brittany and Eric Isaacs, did not return calls left by the Western Star.
About the Author