Cop Convicted Of Groping Women: Commerce City To Pay $50,000 Settlement
By Brian Maass
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (CBS4) -- Commerce City has agreed to pay a woman $50,000 after one of its officers was convicted of fondling her while she was handcuffed in the back seat of his patrol car.
"No comment," said attorney Josh Marks, who represents John Reinhart, a former Commerce City police officer who was accused of groping three women he had arrested in 2015. A jury convicted Reinhart of groping two of the three women. He resigned from the Commerce City police department after the charges came to light.
RELATED: Former Commerce City Police Officer Charged With Unlawful Sexual Contact
One of the women filed a civil lawsuit against Reinhart and Commerce City which was recently settled. According to a copy of the settlement agreement obtained by CBS4, Commerce City is not admitting liability in the matter but agrees to settle the claims for $50,000.
In her lawsuit, the woman's attorneys wrote, "This is the latest case of an out-of-control City of Commerce City Police Officer empowered to victimize young Hispanic Denver metro females due to his department's failure to adequately train, supervise, and discipline its officers."
She says after being arrested for DUI, with her hands cuffed behind her back in the back seat of Reinhart's patrol car, the officer "began fondling her breasts" and she could not "stop the sexual assault."
The woman's attorneys have not responded to numerous inquiries from CBS4 about the June 25 settlement.
CBS4 Investigator Brian Maass has been with the station more than 30 years uncovering waste, fraud and corruption. Follow him on Twitter @Briancbs4.
