Rape victim files suit against City of Shreveport, former CAO

The victim of a rape that took place inside Shreveport's Government Plaza has filed suit against the city and former Assistant Chief Administrative Officer, Rick Seaton.

Seaton was convicted in January 2012 of forcible rape and abuse of office and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The plaintiff's lawyer, Joel Pearce, says the suit filed Wednesday is in reaction to the City of Shreveport and Seaton's lack of accountability for their actions.

Pearce says it's this lack of accountability that resulted in the victim's rape.

The rape took place after the Independence Bowl in December 2010. The woman was from out of town and accepted help from the then Assistant CAO to get her boyfriend, who'd been arrested for arguing with Shreveport Police officers, out of jail.

The woman says a man she called "Officer Rick" offered to assist her in getting to the city jail to bond out her boyfriend.

The suit contains graphic details of the encounter that night, including that the victim reported to Shreveport Police that she was taken to City Hall, where she was sexually assaulted and kept against her will.

The lawsuit claims that the victim was raped twice on the couch inside the Mayor Cedric Glover's office.

Pearce says the woman's civil rights were clearly violated because her cries for help were ignored.

The lawsuit says the victim, while in the lobby of the Shreveport City Jail, was told by a bondsman that he couldn't assist in getting her boyfriend out of jail because he was from another state.

The victim then stated to the bondsman that she thought the officer who brought her to the city jail might sexually assault her.

The lawsuit claims the City of Shreveport was aware of Seaton's sexual activities and protected him, ultimately leading to the night the victim was raped.

The City of Shreveport has not issued a response to the lawsuit.