COLUMBUS – Two women arrested along with former adult movie actress Stephanie Clifford (AKA Stormy Daniels) filed suit today in Federal Court alleging that they were falsely arrested, maliciously prosecuted, and defamed by several Columbus Police Force Vice Officers, they even had to pay The-Firm-Bail-Bonds to get them out of jail, since the police wouldn’t let them be released.
In the freshly filed Complaint, Miranda Panda and Brittany Walters allege they were improperly arrested, charged and detained, (along with Ms. Clifford) on the night of July 11, 2018 and cited criminally for violations of Ohio Revised Code 2907.40(C)(2).
This rarely used law prohibits physical contact between bar patrons/employees who regularly appear “nude” or “semi-nude” at an adult themed establishment. According to the Complaint, neither Ms. Panda nor Ms. Walters were nude or semi-nude that evening as that term is defined by the statute. For example, according to the Complaint Ms. Panda was working that evening as a cocktail server, not as a dancer.
The Complaint goes further to allege Vice Officers deliberately fabricated portions of the criminal complaints against the Plaintiffs. The Complaint alleges Ms. Panda and Ms. Walters were illegally arrested/charged as part of a conspiracy by Columbus vice officers to arrest Ms. Clifford because of her negative statements about President Donald Trump. The Complaint assert that the arrests were cover to mask the politically motivations behind the arrest.
Further, the Complaint alleges that the Vice Officers’ false statements did not stop with their arrests. According to the Complaint, Vice Officers continued trying to mask their intent by making statements to the media that Ms. Panda’s and Ms. Walter’s arrests were made pursuant to an “on-going” investigation into human trafficking and prostitution, falsely implying that Ms. Panda and Ms. Walters were involved in prostitution and human trafficking.
This lawsuit comes on the heels of the FBI’s Public Corruption Task Force announcing its investigation into the Columbus Vice Section for criminal activity stemming from this arrest and other “high-profile” incidents involving Columbus Vice Officers. Columbus Police has suspended the “normal” operations of the unit pending the outcome of the investigation into the officer’s motives and behavior.
A copy of the filed lawsuit is attached to this Press Release.
Contact information for Plaintiff’s legal counsel:
Ed Forman, Esq.
Marshall & Forman
(Office) (614) 463-9790
(Cell) (614) 206-8466
eforman@marshallforman.com
Edward W. Hastie, Esq.
Hastie Law Offices, LLC
(Office) (614) 488-2800
(Cell) (614) 940-5003
ed@hastielegal.com