YELLVILLE, Ark. (Legal Newsline) - A civil lawsuit has followed criminal charges against an Arkansas judge accused of public sexual indecency.
Halle Brown, also known as Halle Loftin, sued John Massey, a judge in Marion County, and the county itself on Oct. 11 in that county's circuit court. She is a secretary for the county who was formerly under the supervision of Massey, who was elected in 2018 but recently lost a re-election effort.
In July 2022, Massey was arrested following accusations by Brown that he would inappropriately touch her while on drivers around the county to "check roads." Surveillance video from the Marion County Shop from March 30, 2022, also allegedly caught Massey in the act.
"(T)he defendant put his right hand on the victim's buttocks to pat and rub her buttocks," the criminal information says. "Defendant moved his right hand up the victim's back, then positioned his right arm over the victim's right shoulder, pulling her into a hug.
"Defendant then moved his right hand back down the victim's back, patting her buttocks several more times."
Massey told investigators that he never touched Brown's "privates" and remembered her asking him to stop "but one time and uhh, hell I don't try to keep up with stuff like that."
The criminal proceeding has been subject to many continuances that have pushed back trial dates. Massey has moved to suppress illegally obtained evidence and any statements he made, arguing there was no probable cause to arrest him.
The current scheduled trial date is Jan. 16, 2024. Meanwhile, Massey and the county must now face Brown's civil lawsuit, which makes claims for sex-based discrimination, retaliation and the tort of outrage, among others.
The allegations in the civil lawsuit says Massey would put his hands in between her breasts and grope them above her clothing. After she complained, she says she was moved to a different office, deprived of work and "generally treated with contempt by Judge Massey and Marion County."
She says her position was on the chopping block in February 2023 but any action has been delayed during the pendency of the criminal complaint.
Brown says she has been treated for mental and emotional issues because of her treatment by Massey and the county and has been forced to take time off work. She is represented by George Rozzell of Miller, Butler, Schneider, Pawlik & Rozzell in Fayetteville.