Ex-Ukiah cop accuses colleague of sexual assault, says city allowed harassment

A former Ukiah police officer is suing the city, police department and a fellow officer, accusing them of long-term gender discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation and failing to stop the illegal behavior.

The 17-page civil complaint, filed on behalf of Isabel Siderakis this month in Mendocino County Superior Court, also accuses ex-Ukiah sergeant Kevin Murray of sexually assaulting Siderakis during an out-of-town work training trip in 2013.

Murray, forced out of the department late last year, is facing a criminal trial in Mendocino County in December on multiple felonies, including a rape in 2014, other sexual assault charges and possessing an illegal assault rifle in 2020. He has pleaded not guilty and remains free on bail.

In the civil suit, lawyers for Siderakis, who was an officer with the city from 2013 until last year, outline what she describes as years of sexual harassment and gender discrimination from fellow officers and department supervisors.

It seeks unspecified damages for physical and emotional injuries, loss of income and earning capacity, and legal costs. A case management conference was set for February.

SiderakisComplaint.pdf

Police Chief Justin Wyatt, who is leaving his role as chief next month, declined to comment on the allegations against his department and his command staff. Wyatt retired at the end of last year, City Manager Sage Sangiacomo said, but continued to lead the department on an interim basis. He said Wyatt’s scheduled departure was unrelated to Siderakis’ suit.

Sangiacomo also declined to discuss the suit: “On any personnel or litigation matter, I can’t comment.”

Siderakis’ attorney didn’t return a message seeking comment Thursday.

The suit alleges that in October 2013, just months after Siderakis joined the department, Murray bullied his way into her hotel room “under the guise that he wanted to offer (her) ‘advice’ since he was a ‘senior officer’ and she was still on probation.”

It claims Murray then fondled her against her will, demanding a good night kiss, saying her family depended on her for the job and that ‘Nobody at the department will believe’ her if she reported him.

Siderakis said Murray began pulling her toward the bedroom and she fled to the bathroom. When she opened the door a few moments later, the suit claims, Murray was standing there, naked with an erect penis.

The suit says Siderakis slept on the bathroom floor and left the room after Murray fell asleep on her bed.

Two years later, Siderakis was promoted to detective and learned that Murray had been involved in several internal affairs investigations but hadn’t been punished. She said this confirmed her fears that Murray would be protected if she complained about him.

The lawsuit claims that in early 2020, the lock on the door to the women’s locker room was removed, leaving a fist-size hole that passersby could look through. Siderakis complained to her lieutenant, who said he would “talk to the guys about it.” Siderakis said she was forced to get dressed and use the women’s restroom at the Fire Department because of the missing lock.

She said in May of last year she began being assigned to certain cases because she is a woman, which she reported to her sergeant to no avail. Complaints to her lieutenant about gender discrimination also were ignored, the suit claims, and she was isolated, ostracized and assigned extra investigations. Later, her schedule was changed without explanation or warning and she was reassigned to patrol, resulting in a pay cut.

Siderakis again told her supervisors about what she believed to be harassment, discrimination, retaliation and threatening behavior toward her. The suit claims Wyatt said she was too emotional and that she should have complained to the District Attorney’s office.

You can reach Staff Writer Lori A. Carter at 707-521-5470 or lori.carter@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @loriacarter.