AZ - Jorden Marie Simms, 28, accused officer of rape, dies in police custody, Safford, 27 Dec 2019

[almagata]

Jordan Marie Simms died while in police custody 12/27/19. Ms. Simms reported that her arresting officer had raped her and was taken to an area hospital for a rape exam.

After filing her rape allegations against Jeremiah French of the Safford, AZ Police Department, Graham County Sheriff’s Department was transporting Ms. Simms to the hospital for a second time and claim that she slipped her handcuffs, opened the car door and jumped from the vehicle resulting in serious injuries that caused her death.

Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) is investigating the case and Officer French has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

discussglobal.com/safford-arizona-police-officer-raped-jordan-marie-simms/

 

[realanastasia]

Jordan Marie Simms died while in police custody 12/27/19. Ms. Simms reported that her arresting officer had raped her and was taken to an area hospital for a rape exam.

After filing her rape allegations against Jeremiah French of the Safford, AZ Police Department, Graham County Sheriff’s Department was transporting Ms. Simms to the hospital for a second time and claim that she slipped her handcuffs, opened the car door and jumped from the vehicle resulting in serious injuries that caused her death.

Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) is investigating the case and Officer French has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

discussglobal.com/safford-arizona-police-officer-raped-jordan-marie-simms/

Nothing about this case has been published in actual mainstream media sources—the source linked above is basically a blog, and the attached files are screenshots from an individual’s Facebook posts, neither of which would meet this site’s Terms of Service. The only other sources reporting it are similarly sketchy (the “Gila Herald” might be a real newspaper, but its website is merely a blog like anyone could start, and (most concerningly) authors of articles are unattributed). But if there are other, legitimate mainstream news sources reporting on this horrific story, they should definitely be added to this thread so it isn’t shut down.

 

[Lilibet]

This seems more mainstream. The sheriff spoke to the news outlet.

“Sheriff Allred told GilaValleyCentral that the results of the sodomy test have not been received.”

Inmate dies after slipping cuffs and jumping from moving vehicle

 

[Lilibet]

This article from the Gila Herald has the author’s name and substantial LE quotes.

Allred said he didn’t believe his employees did anything incorrect and that they took Simms’ allegations seriously and did what was necessary to be held accountable. He added that none of the medical examiner’s reports from Sierra Vista had been completed and that the Sheriff’s Office has a “very long history” of looking into its employees and holding them accountable.

“There have been allegations made and we have found there were things they did not do that they were accused of doing and others did things that were not right and they were held accountable for those things,” Allred said. “We hold people accountable for what happens . . . There is an investigation being done. There have been kits done on her. We have evidentiary stuff. There are kits having been done on her, so we’ll be able to say whether it’s this, that, or whatever.”

<snipped>
On Saturday, Safford Police Chief Joe Brugman issued the following news release.

“On Dec. 21, 2019, Jorden Simms was contacted and taken into custody by the Safford Police Department for shoplifting. Simms also had an outstanding warrant for her arrest from Yavapai County, which was theft and drug related with a bond of $25,000. She was booked into the Graham County Jail.
Graham County Jail inmate brain dead at UMC after transport incident

 

[Lilibet]

Her name is spelled Jorden. I’ll ask a mod to correct the thread title.

 

[almagata]

Graham County inmate dies after allegedly jumping from sheriff's vehicle
Paulina Pineda, Arizona Republic Published 10:50 p.m. MT Dec. 28, 2019 | Updated 10:55 p.m. MT Dec. 28, 2019

A woman being held in the Graham County Adult Detention Center died after allegedly slipping from her restraints and jumping out of a sheriff's vehicle Thursday, officials said Saturday.

Jorden Marie Simms, 28, was being taken to the Mount Graham Regional Medical Center in Safford for an exam when she removed her handcuffs, belly chain and ankle restraints and jumped out of the Ford Explorer's rear driver's side door, the Graham County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

Emergency personnel responded to the incident near the 1900 block of 20th Avenue and transported Simms to the nearby Mount Graham hospital with life-threatening injuries, including head trauma. She was later flown to Banner University Medical Center in Tucson where she was pronounced dead, the Sheriff's Office said.

Banner UMC officials said Saturday that they had no patient by that name in their records.

Sheriff's officials did not say on Saturday night when Simms died.

Simms was arrested on Dec. 21 by the Safford Police Department and booked into the Graham County Adult Detention Center for a felony warrant out of Yavapai County, the Sheriff's Office said. It is unknown what led to her arrest by Safford police, and the Police Department did not respond to a request for information.

On Dec. 23, Simms was taken to a medical facility for a forensic exam after she made allegations against a Safford officer, the Sheriff's Office said. The office did not specify what the allegations were.

The next day, Simms told the Sheriff's Office that a detention officer sexually assaulted her while being dressed out when she returned from the hospital about 4 a.m., the Sheriff's Office said.

A sheriff's deputy and detention supervisor transported her to a family advocacy center in Sierra Vista for an exam on Dec. 26.

The Sheriff's Office said that after the exam was completed and based on the recommendation of a medical professional at the center, it was determined that Simms should be taken to Mount Graham for further exams before returning to the detention facility.

Simms removed her restraints and jumped out of the vehicle while on the way to the hospital.

The initial investigation, conducted by the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Graham County Sheriff's Office, showed that officers loosened her ankle restraints after she complained they were rubbing her ankles and causing pain, the Sheriff's Office said.

Investigators found the handcuffs and chain on the seat of the patrol vehicle and the ankle restraints were on the floorboard, the Sheriff's Office said. Her shoes were also left in the vehicle, the office said.

A small tube of shower gel with the cap open was allegedly found in the back seat where she was sitting, the Sheriff's Office said, adding that staff confirmed it is the same gel used at the center where she was examined earlier in the day.

The Sheriff's Office said the investigation found that the child-proof lock used to prevent the rear doors from being opened from the inside was switched off on the rear driver's side door, which allowed her to open the door. The passenger side door was still locked, the office said.

The incident remains under investigation.

Reach reporter Paulina Pineda at [email protected] or 602-444-8130. Follow her on Twitter: @paulinapineda22.

________________
Graham County inmate dies after allegedly jumping from sheriff's vehicle

 

[Vail]

I've only ever seen the cage of a patrol car to take someone out of it, but don't they normally lack a way to open from the inside and have child locks to prevent this exact problem?

 

[asmi106082]

I've only ever seen the cage of a patrol car to take someone out of it, but don't they normally lack a way to open from the inside and have child locks to prevent this exact problem?

From what I read, this particular vehicle was older and it was possible for people to open the doors from the inside.

 

[nightowl1975]

This whole story smells. Bad.

 

[kaen]

The story is pretty disturbing. We will have to see how transparent the investigation is. I am having a hard time believing that she slipped her wrists, waist and ankle restraints. Sounds like this young woman had a hard go of things and was terrorized by her jailers.

 

[almagata]

If the rape kit comes back with the arresting officers DNA, I think it will be very hard to explain that away.

I'll be very curious to see what the DA does with this case if the DNA does come back as a match.

 

[Safeguard]

If the rape kit comes back with the arresting officers DNA, I think it will be very hard to explain that away.

I'll be very curious to see what the DA does with this case if the DNA does come back as a match.

I bet you a million dollars that rape kit comes back negative. That poor woman...

 

[moonriverfarm]

HOW would you be able to slip out of shackles, a chain and handcuffs in the back seat of a car?? #icallbs

 

[bwt42]

HOW would you be able to slip out of shackles, a chain and handcuffs in the back seat of a car?? #icallbs

I think she wasn't wearing shackles. Also, don't know if the chain would restrain her. jmo

 

[cobalt sky]

Hmmm. First, raped by your male arresting officer, then shortly after, sodomized by a female corrections employee. What an unbelievable stroke of bad luck! I'm sure the truth will eventually come out.

 

[kaen]

I think she wasn't wearing shackles. Also, don't know if the chain would restrain her. jmo

This is what was written in the article.

"Jorden Marie Simms, 28, was being taken to the Mount Graham Regional Medical Center in Safford for an exam when she removed her handcuffs, belly chain and ankle restraints and jumped out of the Ford Explorer's rear driver's side door, the Graham County Sheriff's Office said in a news release."

"The initial investigation, conducted by the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Graham County Sheriff's Office, showed that officers loosened her ankle restraints after she complained they were rubbing her ankles and causing pain, the Sheriff's Office said.

Investigators found the handcuffs and chain on the seat of the patrol vehicle and the ankle restraints were on the floorboard, the Sheriff's Office said. Her shoes were also left in the vehicle, the office said."

Graham County inmate dies after allegedly jumping from sheriff's vehicle

 

[kaen]

This is also curious:

"The Sheriff's Office said the investigation found that the child-proof lock used to prevent the rear doors from being opened from the inside was switched off on the rear driver's side door, which allowed her to open the door. The passenger side door was still locked, the office said."

Graham County inmate dies after allegedly jumping from sheriff's vehicle

 

[bwt42]

This is what was written in the article.

"Jorden Marie Simms, 28, was being taken to the Mount Graham Regional Medical Center in Safford for an exam when she removed her handcuffs, belly chain and ankle restraints and jumped out of the Ford Explorer's rear driver's side door, the Graham County Sheriff's Office said in a news release."

"The initial investigation, conducted by the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Graham County Sheriff's Office, showed that officers loosened her ankle restraints after she complained they were rubbing her ankles and causing pain, the Sheriff's Office said.

Investigators found the handcuffs and chain on the seat of the patrol vehicle and the ankle restraints were on the floorboard, the Sheriff's Office said. Her shoes were also left in the vehicle, the office said."

Graham County inmate dies after allegedly jumping from sheriff's vehicle

I interpreted the loosening of the ankle restraints to mean they no longer restrained her. could be wrong.

 

[cobalt sky]

I interpreted the loosening of the ankle restraints to mean they no longer restrained her. could be wrong.

Yes it sounds like they are admitting that they loosened the ankle restraints enough for her to slip her shoes off (which were found in the car, not outside with her) and then slip her feet out of the ankle restraints altogether. Her hands would have been restrained in front of her, after the feet were free it wouldn't have been hard for her to use the shower gel as lubricant to slide her hands out of the restraints. And then she opened the unlocked door and escaped while it was moving.

 

[TGIRecovered]

Graham County inmate dies after allegedly jumping from sheriff's vehicle
Paulina Pineda, Arizona Republic Published 10:50 p.m. MT Dec. 28, 2019 | Updated 10:55 p.m. MT Dec. 28, 2019

A woman being held in the Graham County Adult Detention Center died after allegedly slipping from her restraints and jumping out of a sheriff's vehicle Thursday, officials said Saturday.

Jorden Marie Simms, 28, was being taken to the Mount Graham Regional Medical Center in Safford for an exam when she removed her handcuffs, belly chain and ankle restraints and jumped out of the Ford Explorer's rear driver's side door, the Graham County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

Emergency personnel responded to the incident near the 1900 block of 20th Avenue and transported Simms to the nearby Mount Graham hospital with life-threatening injuries, including head trauma. She was later flown to Banner University Medical Center in Tucson where she was pronounced dead, the Sheriff's Office said.

Banner UMC officials said Saturday that they had no patient by that name in their records.

Sheriff's officials did not say on Saturday night when Simms died.

Simms was arrested on Dec. 21 by the Safford Police Department and booked into the Graham County Adult Detention Center for a felony warrant out of Yavapai County, the Sheriff's Office said. It is unknown what led to her arrest by Safford police, and the Police Department did not respond to a request for information.

On Dec. 23, Simms was taken to a medical facility for a forensic exam after she made allegations against a Safford officer, the Sheriff's Office said. The office did not specify what the allegations were.

The next day, Simms told the Sheriff's Office that a detention officer sexually assaulted her while being dressed out when she returned from the hospital about 4 a.m., the Sheriff's Office said.

A sheriff's deputy and detention supervisor transported her to a family advocacy center in Sierra Vista for an exam on Dec. 26.

The Sheriff's Office said that after the exam was completed and based on the recommendation of a medical professional at the center, it was determined that Simms should be taken to Mount Graham for further exams before returning to the detention facility.

Simms removed her restraints and jumped out of the vehicle while on the way to the hospital.

The initial investigation, conducted by the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Graham County Sheriff's Office, showed that officers loosened her ankle restraints after she complained they were rubbing her ankles and causing pain, the Sheriff's Office said.

Investigators found the handcuffs and chain on the seat of the patrol vehicle and the ankle restraints were on the floorboard, the Sheriff's Office said. Her shoes were also left in the vehicle, the office said.

A small tube of shower gel with the cap open was allegedly found in the back seat where she was sitting, the Sheriff's Office said, adding that staff confirmed it is the same gel used at the center where she was examined earlier in the day.

The Sheriff's Office said the investigation found that the child-proof lock used to prevent the rear doors from being opened from the inside was switched off on the rear driver's side door, which allowed her to open the door. The passenger side door was still locked, the office said.

The incident remains under investigation.

Reach reporter Paulina Pineda at [email protected] or 602-444-8130. Follow her on Twitter: @paulinapineda22.
________________
Graham County inmate dies after allegedly jumping from sheriff's vehicle

How likely is it that neither the Sheriff’s deputy nor the detention center employee who were both in the car with the door accidentally left unlocked noticed her slipping out of the restraints? Chains make noise. It would take some wriggling around to remove the belly chain and cuffs. All of this happened after they loosened her foot restraints. Were they blind and deaf?

I’m not buying it.