Former female officer sues Tennessee department, alleging she was ‘s3xually groomed’ after being fired for engaging in s3xual activity with multiple colleagues

Former La Vergne police officer, Maegan Hall, has filed a federal lawsuit against the city of La Vergne, former Police Chief Burrel “Chip” Davis, and former Sgts. Lewis Powell and Henry “Ty” McGowan. The lawsuit alleges that she was “sexually groomed” by her superiors in the department and ultimately fired for engaging in sexual activity with multiple colleagues.

Hall admitted to investigators that she participated in sexual liaisons with four officers, two of whom were her superiors. The internal probe was launched by La Vergne Mayor Jason Cole in December 2021 after he learned about Hall’s “intimate relationships” with other members of the department. She informed her superiors about the encounters at the time, according to an external investigation conducted by a law firm.

The lawsuit filed by Hall alleges that she was “groomed to engage in sexually exploitative activities” by men in the department, including Sgt. Powell, Sgt. McGowan, and Chief Davis. The suit also claims that the defendants deprived Hall of due process and violated federal law against sharing intimate images online and across state lines.

The sexual activity was alleged to have included a hot tub party on a houseboat attended by at least three other officers and the sharing of nude photos of Hall and other officers, according to the investigation. Some of the other encounters took place on city property, the investigation found.

Hall, Powell, McGowan, and two other officers were fired in late December, and three others were suspended. Davis was fired in early February after an external investigation concluded that he knew what was happening but failed to discipline the officers.

The lawsuit alleges that Hall was set up and ultimately harmed, both by the intimate interactions and by her subsequent firing, because her work environment was sexually charged. The document lists a number of other alleged incidents that contributed to what it described as a “sexually coercive environment,” which it said affected Hall’s mental health.

The lawsuit does not specify damages sought but said it ultimately seeks lost wages and medical expenses, as well as compensation for the sharing of her nude photos and for emotional distress, mental suffering, and “loss of enjoyment of life.”

After the chief was fired in February, La Vergne Mayor Jason Cole expressed his disappointment and frustration over the scandal. He stated, “Officers are held to a higher standard; even more so is their chief.” The case is ongoing, and further developments are awaited.