Teacher raped in prison reaches settlement

An Arizona prison teacher who
was left alone in a classroom and then raped by a
convicted sex offender has reached a settlement in
her lawsuit accusing corrections officials of failing
to protect her.
Attorney General Mark Brnovich said Monday the
case was "settled to the satisfaction of all parties"
and that his office strives to pursue justice in every
case.
However, a settlement notice didn't specify terms
of the deal, and Brnovich told The Associated Press
that a confidentiality provision barred him from
discussing the details.
The teacher's 2014 lawsuit didn't specify damages
sought, but she previously filed a claim seeking $4
million.
Her attorney, Scott Zwillinger, didn't immediately
respond to requests for comment.
Jacob Harvey was sentenced to life in prison this
year after pleading guilty to the January 2014 rape
at the Eyman state prison in Florence. He was in
the first year of a 30-year term for raping a
suburban Phoenix woman during a home invasion
when he assaulted the teacher in a classroom.
Harvey repeatedly stabbed the teacher with a pen
before raping her, according to investigative reports
and the teacher. The AP generally doesn't identify
people who report being victims of sexual assault.
The state's workplace safety agency fined the
Corrections Department $14,000 for failing to
ensure the teacher's safety, but that fine is being
appealed.
After the rape, prison officials sent out only a vague
news release that referred to an assault on an
employee. The details of the assault came to light
after the AP obtained documents under a public
records request and interviewed people familiar with
the case.
The teacher told the AP in a 2014 interview that she
felt traumatized by the attack.
The workplace-safety investigation was launched in
July after the AP story provided the first detailed
account of the assault.
The lawsuit accused prison employees of failing to
establish proper security. It also said the
department's health care provider improperly
assessed the Harvey's health, allowing him to be
classified as a low-risk offender.
Corrections Department spokesman Doug Nick in
2014 called the assault a "cowardly and despicable
crime" but also said the department disputed the
lawsuit's allegations.
The attorney general's office argued unsuccessfully
in court that the lawsuit should be thrown out.
Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Weisbard wrote
that the teacher routinely worked in classrooms and
there is always a risk of assault when working with
prisoners.
However, the judge hearing the case refused to
dismiss the lawsuit, saying it raised plausible
allegations that top officials created a dangerous
environment that led to the rape.
After the assault, prison officials installed cameras
in prison classrooms, increased patrols and issued
pepper spray to civilian workers. They have said
issuing pepper spray was planned before the rape.