BY TANYA BRICKING
The Cincinnati Enquirer
A woman who says she was embarrassed by police after nude photos of her were passed around within the police division wants the city to take more than disciplinary measures to keep her situation from happening to someone else.
City officials had been questioning whether a written reprimand was enough punishment for Spc. John Horn, an officer who seized and later circulated sexually explicit photographs of April James during an unrelated search of the Walnut Hills woman's home.
Ms. James learned the sexually explicit photos were being passed around District 4 headquarters after her father, who is a Cincinnati officer, heard about it.
Spc. Horn went back to her apartment later on a pretext, tried to return them without detection and said they had been picked up accidentally with evidence.
An independent city investigation concluded the seizure was neither an accident nor proper. Spc. Horn was given a written reprimand. In a memo dated Tuesday, City Manager John Shirey told council members he is not satisfied the matter should be closed, but he reluctantly accepted legal advice that "the chances of imposing additional disciplinary measures were virtually nil."
In response to his memo, Philip Bluestein, Ms. James' attorney, called a press conference Wednesday to say Spc. Horn shouldn't be singled out.
Ms. James is suing Spc. Horn, police officials and the city for invasion of privacy. "We're definitely disappointed that the city doesn't seem to be taking responsibility for its actions," Mr. Bluestein said.
He wants the city to look at policies and procedures, too.
Mr. Shirey said the matter will not be closed until a thorough review is complete and the lawsuit is resolved.
