Stakes High For Texas State Trooper Charged With Sexual Assault After Roadside Cavity Search
DALLAS (CBS 11 NEWS) - Experts say the stakes couldn't be higher for the female state trooper who conducted this roadside cavity search of two North Texas women captured on dashcam video.
As we first reported Friday, a Dallas County Grand Jury indicted trooper Kelley Helleson on two counts of sexual assault and two counts of official oppression.
Peter Schulte is a Dallas attorney and police officer.
He says, "In the course of doing her job, by going beyond of what the law allowed her to do, she could find herself as a registered sex offender for the rest of her life, if she's convicted."
Helleson's attorney says his client passed a tough lie detector test, and did not assault or fondle Angela and Ashley Dobbs.
Schulte says, "It's all going to come down to who does the jury believe?"
Experts say the cavity search conducted on the side of the road raises the question of how the trooper was trained in the first place.
Schulte says, "How did she even get this idea this was OK? Is this an issue that she learned from a field training officer? Where is the problem?"
DPS says "Any search that unreasonably invades the bodily integrity of a citizen is in violation of the Fourth Amendment and is therefore in violation of DPS policy."
The agency fired Helleson, and she is appealing.
The Grand Jury also indicted Trooper David Farrell on a theft charge, after Angela Dobbs complained her prescription bottle of painkillers went missing after the search.
DPS says Farrell remains suspended pending the outcome of an administrative investigation.
Schulte says the indictments against both troopers in this case may place other investigations into jeopardy.
"Any cases set for trial involving these two troopers are going to have to get disposed of because the DA's office can't sponsor their testimony."
The case first came to light after both women filed suit against the troopers.
They also filed suit against the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, but have since dropped him from the case.
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