Indiana found itself in the midst of the #MeToo movement when sexual misconduct allegations against Attorney General Curtis Hill arose. As both the first Black Attorney General of Indiana and the vice chairman of the National Republican Attorneys General Association, the accusations surrounding Hill carried significant political weight.
Four women accused Hill of groping them during the early morning while attending a party at AJ’s Lounge on March 15, 2018. Many witnesses claimed Hill was intoxicated during the party.
Hill denied the sexual assault allegations, and many different Indiana politicians, including Gov. Eric Holcomb, called for Hill to resign. Hill refused and called for an investigation into the alleged incidents.
“I am not resigning,” Hill said via press release. “The allegations against me are vicious and false. At no time did I ever grab or touch anyone inappropriately. The lack of fairness and the failure to recognize my constitutional rights are a complete travesty.”
Controversy continued when documents from Hill’s office showed a plan to pay for his legal defense with $100,000 of taxpayer dollars. After public backlash, Hill announced he would not use public money for his defense. While alternate proposals for legal payment were made, the law firm of Betz and Blevins decided to represent Hill for free.
Detailed investigations followed. Special prosecutor Daniel Sigler entertained pursing misdemeanor battery charges against Hill but ultimately concluded there was too little evidence to prosecute. In addition, Inspector General Lori Torres conducted an investigation at the request of Holcomb and other pollical leaders. The investigation’s report concluded, that while Hill engaged in behavior that was “creepy,” he did not commit any legal, ethical or otherwise actionable offenses.
The investigation cost taxpayers at least $26,300. More specifically, Sigler’s fee, most of which was hourly wages, cost $5,217. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department spent around $3,226 on sex crime detective work, and the Inspector General’s office spent $17,861 in its investigation.
Currently, Hill is still in office. The four women who accused Hill of sexual assault are preparing to file a civil lawsuit.
Contact staff writer Ben Lashar at 317-762-7848. Follow him on twitter @BenjaminLashar.
Curtis Hill
