A Rikers Island correction officer was sexually assaulted by her supervisor — who then retaliated against her when she rejected his advances, she claimed in a new lawsuit.
Laurice Williams said that in August 2020, Capt. Morris Lewis bent down with his
face near her “private area,” lifted her up by her waist and bent her over his shoulder while holding her thigh and butt, according to the lawsuit which was filed Friday in US District Court in Brooklyn and names Lewis and the Department of Correction.
Williams “was petrified and screamed: ‘Put me the f–k down!” according to the suit.
Days later, Lewis asked Williams out on a bike ride, and when she turned him down, she claimed he began retaliating against her, speaking to her harshly and temporarily removing her from her position on a special search team, she said in the lawsuit.
In March 2021, after Williams filed an internal Equal Employment Office complaint, she said Lewis angrily summoned her saying “COME HERE N—A!” according to court papers.
Williams’ EEO complaints were substantiated in July 2021 and Lewis was placed on leave the next month but was reinstated in June 2022, according to the legal papers.
Williams suffers from panic attacks and cannot sleep at night because of the
“discriminatory and retaliatory conduct,” according to the suit, which seeks unspecified damages.
“Instead of providing help, the DOC permitted harassment. Instead of protecting the plaintiff, the DOC protected the perpetrator,” said Paul Liggieri, Williams’ lawyer.
A spokesman for the city Law Department said it would review the case.
A spokesman for the correction captains’ union did not immediately return a request for comment.
