After being shot by a former boyfriend in 2009, a woman has recently filed a lawsuit against several government agencies laying blame in failing to protect her properly, and violating her constitutional rights, as reported by the Ames Patch and the Ames Tribune.
The lawsuit was filed on September 27 in U.S. District Court.
The woman, T.M., was a victim of a domestic shooting on September 28, 2009 in Ames. Both the woman, and her attacker, A.B., were hospitalized following the incident.
Per the Ames Tribune, A.B., who had allegedly shot himself in the head after shooting A.B. in the stomach and back, succumbed to his injuries on October 9, 2009.
The suit names the state of Iowa, four Ames city police officers and the Curt Forbes Residential Center. All are accused in failure to protect the victim, T.M. from her abuser, A.B.
A.B. had been previously convicted of assaulting T.M.
In the suit, T.M. alleges that she had made complaints about T.M. renewing his harassment prior to when he entered her home and shot her.
On September 28, 2009, A.B. checked out of the Curt Forbes Residential Center, per the suit, and then illegally entered T.M.'s home that night after 8 p.m. The victim contends that though she contacted police as soon as A.B. broke in, officers did not arrive on scene for a full thirty minutes.
T.M. further alleged that it took an hour, from her initial call for help, for emergency personnel to take care of her - and that she had suffered with "three" gunshot wounds.
Also per the Ames Tribune report, witnesses were present in the home at the time of the shooting - they saw A.B. charge upstairs, and heard a single gunshot - then the witnesses fled the home.
Further in the report, it is stated that it was at the same moment that officers from the Ames Police were about to enter the home, that the woman had actually called 911 for help.
Domestic violence is a serious problem, per Ames Police Cmdr. J.R., for which officers receive special training.
As of July 2010, a new law took effect that now allows authorities to remove gun ownership privileges from those convicted of domestic abuse and those named as aggressors in permanent protective orders.
The shooting incident occurred prior to the new law.
While A.B. was living at the Curt Forbes Residential Center he was not allowed to own a handgun.
T.M. claims in the lawsuit that her civil rights were violated and that officers, and others, violated her 14th amendment rights - the "Due Process Right to Bodily Integrity".
Des Moines-based attorney Alfredo Parrish is representing T.M.
The Department of Corrections media liaison, Fred Scaletta, said that he didn't have the lawsuit as of yet so he was unable to comment.
If your constitutional rights have not been respected by members of a police department, resulting in your pain and suffering, contact a personal injury lawyer. Oftentimes monetary compensation can be awarded.