lauren mccluskey pictures
Although he did not forward the pictures to anyone else, the report says Deras ended up showing the photographs to at least three officers in the course of conducting his job. ga('ads.send', { Both lawsuits are seeking $56 million in damages for the Lauren McCluskey Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving campus safety. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotOnload', function(event) { Three days later, while on the phone with her mother, Lauren was abducted by Rowland and shot to death in her own car, according to police. In October 2018, college student Lauren McCluskey went to the University of Utah campus police to report that she was being blackmailed by an ex-boyfriend. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), The DPS report shows that officer Miguel Deras accessed the photo email attachments unnecessarily on his phone multiple times. . Steve Griffin, Deseret News. With our commitment to learning from our mistakes, we honor Lauren and ensure her legacy will be improved campus safety for all students, Watkins said. Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company. The alleged breach of privacy was first reported last month by The Salt Lake Tribune, which said that the Police Department in Logan, Utah, where Officer Deras is now employed, had begun an internal affairs investigation into the matter. Yet she did it with ease and grace on a regular basis with everyone she knew. KYLE KEPLER, U OF U TRACK AND FIELD COACH, As a Communications major, Lauren was enrolled at the U in Professor Dan Clarks Advanced Public Speaking class. Published Discovery Company. reporters on a platform technologically tailored to meet the needs of the modern reader. "The University did not seek or receive consent from any officer to change these policies, did change them to the detriment of officers who relied on the prior policies, and used the changes to damage the officers in question," the notice states. It is inexcusable for any law enforcement officer to discuss photos or information provided by a victim outside of clear and legitimate law enforcement reasons. After the police took her statement, they could have easily found out that Rowland was on parole and put him in jail right then. According to court documents, terms of the settlement include a payment to the McCluskey family of $10.5 million by early 2021, a $3 million donation to the Lauren McCluskey Foundation no later than March 31, 2021, an indoor track for the track and field team and the University of Utah's Center for Violence Prevention will be renamed the McCluskey Center for Violence and Prevention. Lauren McCluskey killing A former University of Utah police officer is accused of sharing an explicit photo of slain student Lauren McCluskey, 21, days before her Oct. 22, 2018, murder at the . The two other officersMario Sellick and Aaron Nelsonwere terminated by the university in 2020 for not reporting to superiors that Deras had shared the photos. eventAction: 'click_adunit' He acted appropriately at every turn., Chatman reaffirmed Wednesday that he stands by his departments new mission statement: We seek public trust by policing with compassion, integrity and accountability in our daily pursuit of excellence. pg.acq.push(function() { 2.1 Lauren McCluskey; 3 Assailant. Lauren stated she sent $1000 to an account as demanded in hopes of keeping the photos private. Rowland made frequent attempts (sometimes successful) to visit her at her university dorm. McCluskey and Rowland had met at a bar and dated for about a month. The legal notice alleges that the two officers were terminated for "telling the truth and participating in the interview process." Contrary to the prior reporting, Deras did not inappropriately download images to his phone. This latest revelation makes me wonder when well hit bottom, Matt McCluskey told the Tribune. Lauren McCluskey's parents said they hope the suit can help protect other women at risk of dating violence on college campuses. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Campus surveillance footage showed Rowland prowling around the college campus from October 19 through October 22. ABC News' Catherine Thorbecke, Sabina Ghebremedhin and Candace Smith contributed to this report. Utah university cop showed Lauren McCluskey's nude photos to at least 6 officers days before she was killed. A former University of Utah police officer will not face criminal charges for showing off explicit photos of student-athlete Lauren McCluskey to his co-workers.. Salt Lake County District Attorney . -Lauren McCluskey paid Melvin Rowland $1000 to keep compromising photos private -He was on campus Fri to Mon, looking for McCluskey -He texted her, posing as cop Monday AM to lure her outside eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Jill McCluskey, mother of Lauren McCluskey, left, University of Utah President Taylor Randall, second from left, and others participate in a memorial walk for Lauren McCluskey at the McCarthey . By then, Deras had already left his job with the University of Utah Police. And Sept. 3rd of the 2020-21 academic year started with another large on-campus rally from UnsafeU demanding the resignation of President Ruth Watkins for withholding evidence in this and other cases and calling for the abolition of the UUPD. As we now know, Deras downloaded those pictures onto his personal phone and was overheard boasting to colleagues, remarking about her looks and being cute. Audio from McCluskeys 911 calls to Salt Lake City Police show that she was increasingly frustrated by the pace of the university investigation. FILE-Jill and Matt McCluskey announce lawsuit against University of Utah. Bill 80 which focuses more specifically on communication between law enforcement, students, campus police dispatch and departments. As Rowlands actions escalated, McCluskey began voicing concerns to her immediate family and closest friends. On Oct. 15, Deras allegedly showed the pictures to a sergeant and again asked for guidance on how to proceed with handling the pictures, the report states. "The University's apparent objective was to focus public attention on the [five] Claimants, rather than its own institutional failings and wrongdoing in relation to Lauren's case," the notice reads. When McCluskey learned Rowland had a criminal conviction, and had lied about his age and name, she ended the relationship. Lauren McCluskey, a 21-year-old student at the University of Utah, told campus police she was being blackmailed Credit: AP. McCluskey dated Rowland for around a month, then broke things off after Rowland not only concealed his criminal history but also lied about his name and age. Officer Miguel Deras presented her case to campus police on Oct. 12, 2018, to report she was being harassed. The lawsuit was filed on Monday in state court in Salt Lake County by the parents of Lauren McCluskey against the University of Utah, where McCluskey was a final-year student when she was killed . He asked her to hand over some questionable and explicit photos mentioned in the case. After leaving the University police, he landed a job at the Logan Police Department, wheres he currently employed. All Rights Reserved, Lauren McCluskey explicit photos were shown to other officers, report says, prompted a strong response from McCluskeys parents, Ukraine will win war with Russia, former Ukrainian president says during visit to Utah, A slew of Burger Kings is set to close as franchisees run into fiscal trouble, Its time to take Utahs momfluencers seriously, New poll shows Mitt Romney has the approval of a majority of Utah voters, but could still be vulnerable in a Republican primary, Flooding reaches some Utah cities, but water managers welcome huge snowpack. The University of Utah continues to mislead, continues to cover up the facts and continues to fail to take responsibility for the murder of our daughter. quote: A Utah cop kept explicit photos of a terrified college track star who was being sextorted by her ex and showed them off to a colleague just days before the young athlete was murdered, according to his force and a damning report. The complaint also states the university officials dismissed her requests for help. ga('ads.send', { The notice also claims that the university police department updated its employee policy just before the DPS report was released to remove protections for officers. Deputy Chief Rick McLenon submitted his resignation on June 8. Her message was one of keeping hope alive, that overcoming obstacles is part of life, and that practicing self-love is the way for you to fully love others., Over two years have passed since Lauren was found dead in the back of a car outside her campus dorm. His friends posted about his suicidewhich was fakeon social media and blamed McCluskey as the cause. }) He told her that he was in the military and trained as a security officer, and afterwards they met up a few times. Ms. McCluskey, 21, turned over photographs to Miguel Deras, a campus police officer at the time, telling him that Mr. Rowland had threatened to release them unless she paid him $1,000, according to the lawsuit. 2. SALT LAKE CITY A former University of Utah police officer showed explicit photos of Lauren McCluskey to other officers, including in a hallway and at the scene of her murder, according to an . }); Martin created a mural in McCluskeys honor, and helped build a student-led coalition called UnsafeU. Since their first public protest on the first anniversary of McCluskeys death, UnsafeU has been gathering and sharing stories of other mishandled cases. We have hope for the future, Jill McCluskey said on Thursday, and we hope not only that the University of Utah is a safer place, but that campuses will be safer nationwide because of what were doing with the foundation.. Five former university police officers are claiming $10 million in compensation from the school. McLenon resigned from the university police in June 2020 and declined to participate in the DPS investigation. Notifications can be turned off anytime from browser settings. She was a Washington State Champion in the high jump and ranked 10th in the heptathlon at the USATF Outdoor Junior Championshipsshe had several other colleges and scholarships to choose from. A University of Utah police car is pictured on campus in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020. Following the conclusion of an independent investigation, it was proven that the former University of Utah officer showed inappropriate photos of Lauren McCluskey to his fellow officers in a . The suit came a year after Ms. McCluskeys family sued the university in federal court, where settlement negotiations have reached an impasse. Lauren McCluskey shared the explicit photos of herself with the cop who was ultimately fired in hopes that the campus police force would help protect her from Rowland. pictures a killer was using to blackmail her . "As a result, we have failed Lauren and her family. Join Nancy Grace for her new online video series designed to help you protect what you love most your children. Anyone can read what you share. Student protesters pictured in September 2017 on the University of Utah campus. An independent review uncovered the alleged incident, but the University of Utah Police reportedly insisted that they had no idea that Deras kept the photos for his personal use. She says, I am inspired by their activism, as many students have continued to express that they dont feel safe and demand real change in their places of higher learning. On October 22, 2018, 21-year-old track and field athlete, Sean Fields Lauren McCluskey, was tragically murdered on the campus of the University of Utah by Melvin Rowland, a man she had briefly dated. The state of Utah has agreed to pay more than $10 million to the family of Lauren McCluskey, a University of Utah student whose nude photographs were shared by a campus police officer from whom . He then allegedly saved the photos on his personal phone and bragged to at least one officer that he could look at them whenever he wanted, according to court documents. She paid the money, but when the threats didnt stop, she contacted the police. }); The extortionist, identified as an ex-boyfriend, demanded $1,000. She shared her stories about being on the track team, the thrill of victory as well as her injuries and enduring disappointment and physical pain. The federal suit contends that Ms. McCluskeys civil rights under Title IX, the 1972 federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in programs that receive federal funding, were violated. Looking back, its easy to see many points where McCluskeys murder could have been prevented. University officers are accused of dismissing the stalking claims made by McCluskeysuggesting she was the victim of an online scam, according to the 51-page lawsuit. According to the complaint, Chatman found the university police "distributed compromising images of Lauren McCluskey for prurient purposes unrelated to any legitimate law enforcement activity." University police officers characterized his internal investigation into the photos as a witch hunt, but Chatman ultimately fired several officers . We will continue to strive to be better, to hold each other accountable and to serve our community with the utmost integrity.. . Lauren McCluskey (21) was attending University of Utah in 2018 when she met a guy by the name of Melvin Shawn Rowland at a local bar. Lauren McCluskey, a student at the University of Utah, told campus police she was being blackmailed over the photos by 37-year-old Melvin Rowland - only to be exploited by the officer she turned . There were numerous opportunities to protect her during the almost two weeks between the time when our daughter began expressing repeated, elevating, and persistent concerns about her situation and the time of her murder, Jill and Matthew McCluskey wrote. Lauren McCluskey and Melvin Rowland University of Utah; Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office. The family later filed a wrongful death and negligence lawsuit in state court. Deras acknowledged sharing the pictures, Jones said last year, but insisted he had done so for a valid purpose. Deras now works for Logan Police 85 miles away from his previous workplace. One mon, In a 6-3 opinion, the United States Supreme Court has overturned federal protection for abortion. The University of Utah and Jill and Matt McCluskey announced on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020, that they have settled two lawsuits filed in the death of the McCluskeys' daughter, Lauren. A Utah officer who responded to a call from slain college student Lauren McCluskey in 2018 is accused of keeping and showing off her explicit photos, which were intended only as part of a criminal investigation. Family devastated as mom and unborn baby tragically die after 'unexpected' medical emergency, All for publicity? Lauren begged campus police for protection 15 times before her death. On October 13, Lauren contacted police again, stating that she received messages demanding $1,000 in exchange for the privacy of intimate photos taken while the pair dated, according to police records. He told the Deseret News he is discouraged by any behavior exhibited by our officers that is less than sensitive on how evidence is handled.. The university said the appeal process was completed and a decision was made not to reinstate the officers. if(document.querySelector("#google_image_div")){ eventAction: 'view' Jill McCluskey, who is a professor at Washington State University, also introduced the Lauren's Promise initiative, where professors can pledge in their syllabus that they will help any student that feels threatened find the resources that they need. ga('ads.send', { Dallof did not read the email until after Lauren was killed. This type of behavior is not acceptable in my department and will not be tolerated, Chatman said Wednesday. SALT LAKE CITY A former University of Utah police officer showed explicit photos of Lauren McCluskey to other officers, including in a hallway and at the scene of her murder, according to an independent investigation. hitType: 'event', "It's very alarming to me," he told the outlet. A Utah officer who responded to a call from Lauren McCluskey in 2018 was given photos taken of her by an ex. She had been shot seven times. We are engaged in making meaningful and lasting changes in our approach to campus safety, particularly in how we respond to and assist crime victims and through focusing on research-based approaches to violence prevention, Watkins said. McCluskey gave Deras the photographs after he responded to one of her calls. At some point after that, in the hallway outside a shift briefing, Deras showed the McCluskey pictures to three officers who had previously seen them, according to the report. }); A University of Utah police officer saved explicit pictures of college student Lauren McCluskey and shared them with at least three men after a staff briefing about the 21-year-old's complaints of being blackmailed by her ex-boyfriend. The police, including Officer Deras, never investigated her claims. McCluskey, a University of Utah student, confided in campus police in October 2018 that she was being extorted by her sex-offender ex-boyfriend, identified as 37-year-old Melvin Rowland. At one point, he demanded $1,000 from her to prevent him from posting explicit photos of the two of them. Now, nearly five years later, ESPN is releasing a 90-minute documentary titled " Listen ," detailing her life and tragic . eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), It was too late. McCluskeys teachers, coaches and teammates had a high respect and regard for her as a multi-event athlete, for maintaining a high GPA and as a person, She was someone who really cared about other people and her friendships. On Oct. 22, 2018, Rowland shot and killed McCluskey on campus near her dorm after weeks of stalking and harassing her. }); Deras reportedly showed the pictures initially to a supervisor on October 13, 2018, and asked how the photos could be uploaded on the department's evidence database. Lauren McCluskey killing A former University of Utah police officer is accused of sharing an explicit photo of slain student Lauren McCluskey, 21, days before her Oct. 22, 2018, murder at the . August 9, 2020 9:23am. McCarthy used his speech in NYC to slam President Joe Biden for doing "nothing" to address the nation's financial crisis. All Rights Reserved. On the first anniversary of her murder, led by a student organization called UnsafeU, 100 students walked out of their classes to protest how the university handled the Lauren McCluskey case, the misconduct of university police and other concerns reported by women. At some point, Deras called her with a strange request. A sex extortion investigation was opened into Rowland, but even though he was on parole, authorities failed to report him to the Utah Department of Corrections. "The university acknowledges and deeply regrets that it did not handle Lauren's case as it should have and that, at the time, its employees failed to fully understand and respond appropriately to Lauren's situation," University of Utah President Ruth V. Watkins said during a press conference held Thursday. Photo: Rick Bowmer/AP/Shutterstock. Lauren McCluskey's Killer Tried To Blackmail Her With Revenge Porn. Officer Miguel Deras on Tuesday denied the allegations unearthed by the Salt Lake Tribune, which quoted unnamed officers as saying he had "bragged" about having the images of Lauren McCluskey . Deras still works as a police officer. Deras also showed the pictures to the officer who was in charge at the time, and asked for supervisory guidance regarding the elements of the crime of extortion as well as how to handle the pictures, specifically how to attach them, or even if he should attach them to his police report.. In the process, Lauren dropped her cellphone and belongings. On October 12, McCluskey filed a report with campus police after receiving text messages that claimed Rowland was dead. Two years to the day after the brutal murder of University of Utah athlete Lauren McCluskey, her parents, Jill and Matt McCluskey, and the university announced a $10.5 million settlement in a lawsuit against the school. 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