Woman files lawsuit against Town of Killen, police chief and former officer over 2023 sexual assault

KILLEN, Ala. (WHNT) — A woman is suing a former Killen police officer, the department’s police chief and the town of Killen for violating her rights, among several other allegations.

The woman, referred to as Jane Doe in the suit, is requesting a jury trial in this case.

She said that Jarrod Webster, while acting in his capacity as a Killen police officer, pulled her over for a traffic stop in November 2023 and ordered her to exit the vehicle. Once she was out the vehicle, the lawsuit claims Webster took her to his police vehicle, placed her in handcuffs and “falsely imprisoned” her.

The lawsuit then said Webster threatened her with criminal charges and further detainment unless she engaged in sexual acts with him – violating multiple of her rights, invading her privacy and sexually assaulting her.

The lawsuit claims that prior to this incident involving Jane Doe, Webster “consistently engaged in similar predatory and abusive schemes…” while working as a Killen police officer.

The woman is also alleging that Police Chief Bryan Hammond and the Town of Killen failed to train Webster “with regard to sexual abuse and inappropriate sexual conduct” and that they were also aware of his “regular and methodical abuse of his role” to falsely imprison and sexually abuse women.

Webster was arrested and charged with first-degree rape and first-degree sodomy in November 2023 after an investigation by the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO).

He pleaded guilty to sexual assault, as well as sexually exploiting a child, in March 2025 and was sentenced a couple of months later by a federal judge to 180 months, or 15 years, in prison.

On Nov. 12, 2023, the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office received a call from Crestwood Medical Center stating that a female patient disclosed that a Killen police officer had sexually assaulted her during a traffic stop early that morning.

Due to the allegations, including a police officer being involved in a sexual assault while on duty, Lauderdale County investigators began a joint investigation with the FBI. Chief Hammond also confirmed to News 19 at that time he was placed on leave, then later resigned.

The child sexual exploitation charge he pleaded guilty to stems from Webster admitting that between June 2016 and October 2018, he was in contact with a child on a phone via the social media app called Snapchat. The DOJ said Webster asked the child to produce and send him sexually explicit images of herself.

The DOJ said the victim sent multiple photos to Webster, at least one of which was categorized as child sexual abuse material.