Clinton- The young woman whose relationship with a married member of the police and fire departments resulted in his being dismissed from both positions, has filed suit against him, the town, and leaders of the police and fire units.
Jamie Pruitt, who was 16 and a junior firefighter with the Clinton Volunteer Fire Department at the time of her association with former Corporal John Brymer of Clinton, filed suit in State Superior Court in Middletown on Nov. 10 seeking in excess of $15,000 for negligent infliction of emotional distress and other counts.
In the suit she also names as parties former Fire Chief Scott Andrews, former Deputy Fire Chief and current Chief Frank Schrempp, Chief of Police Joseph Faughnan, and the Town of Clinton.
Brymer, 39, was a 16-year veteran and corporal of the Clinton Police Department, head of the Junior Firefighters' Division, and deputy chief of Emergency Medical Services of the Clinton Volunteer Fire Department.
“No one disputes that there was a sexual affair between my client and John Brymer beginning in the Feb. 2003 time frame,” said Jose M. Rojas, attorney for the plaintiff. “Defendant Brymer knew or should have known that his positions of authority and power, together with Ms. Pruitt's family background and young age, rendered her particularly vulnerable to fall victim to sexual exploitation and more likely to have long-lasting detrimental effects.”
Seven months after the affair began, Brymer was formally charged with three counts of conduct unbecoming an officer, engaging in an extra-marital affair, lying to investigators, misuse of a patrol vehicle, communicating with her while on duty, and influencing two male junior firefighters to lie about his involvement with the girl as the investigation unfolded. Brymer was subsequently terminated from both the fire and police departments.
The State's Attorney's Office declined to press criminal charges against Brymer because the sexual relationship took place in the time between his supervisor roles.
“It is not our objective to press charges against Brymer,” said Rojas. “But rather, the suit is an effort to ensure that my client has sufficient funds for counseling, psychotherapy, and medical care.”
After a year of negotiations, Brymer, in late 2004, was allowed to tender his resignation to the town. He cannot seek employment with the town, nor pursue any litigation on his part, regarding the case.
The Harbor News obtained a copy of the 21-page summons and complaint filed by Attorney Rojas. It states, in part, “The intimate relationship at times took place on the property of the town, including Defendant Brymer's police cruiser, and while Defendant Brymer was 'on-duty' with the Fire Department and/or the Police Department. Defendant Brymer advanced his sexual relationship with Ms. Pruitt by impressing her with his police cruiser, his police uniform, and his positions of authority.”
Pruitt's attorney, who worked as a special assistant U.S. attorney focusing on sexual and sexual abuse cases, says, “The legality of the relationship, by virtue of his position, is illegal and harmful.”
Rojas said it was known to Brymer that Pruitt came from a broken home, and that her father had served time in prison.
“Her mother died when she was young, and her father was incarcerated from charges of sexual abuse,” said Rojas. “Her father's crime was unrelated to her as far as I know.”
“She's a textbook case of vulnerability,” he added.
As for the suit against the town, former fire chief, current fire chief, and current police chief, Rojas says that he believes the town is responsible because they knew about the affair and did nothing about it for some time.
“We believe that the town was liable,” said Rojas. “Everybody knew about the affair. It was so widely known and nothing was done about it.”
Rojas said the leaders of the police and fire departments had an obligation to report the situation to the Department of Children and Families because they employ people who know how to address these situations.
“The police are particularly inept when their own officers are involved,” said Rojas.
Rojas said it is a misnomer to define the relationship between Pruitt and Brymer as “consensual.”
“There are persons incapable of consenting in the normal definition of the word, such as a child under the age of 18,” said Rojas. “This is named in section 46B-120 of the Connecticut General Statutes.”
Pruitt, in the summons and complaint, claims she suffers from severe emotional distress, tension headaches, loss of appetite and nausea, loss of self-esteem, and the loss of the ability to feel safe, among others.
“As a further result of the defendant's extreme and outrageous conduct, Ms. Pruitt incurred and is still incurring expenses for counseling and medical care, all necessary to her recovery, and she will likely incur future expenses for some or all of the same,” said Rojas.
The suit seeks in excess of $15,000 for general compensatory damages, punitive damages, special damages for medical, hospital, and physicians' expenses, special damages for lost wages and income, and the cost of the suit, among others.
In March of 2004, Connecticut lawmakers sought to change the wording of a law after a loophole allowed local police officers, including Brymer, to escape prosecution after having sexual relations with teenagers. It now reads, “Anyone who stands in a position of trust, authority, or supervision...by virtue of [their] professional, legal, occupation, or volunteer status.”
Town officials named in the suit could not comment on the case, since it is currently active. Brymer did not return phone calls for comment from the Harbor News.
© The Day Publishing Co., 2005
For home delivery, please call 1-866-846-9099