The Tennessee police officer who was fired for having sexual relations with six of her fellow cops has spoken out about the sex scandal that rocked the La Vergne Police Department.
Maegan Hall, 26, was fired in January and admitted to engaging in sexual activity with other officers on police property, which included a threesome with one cop and his wife. She also shared intimate images and videos with a number of male officers.
Hall was one of five officers who was fired along with the police chief in the wake of the scandal.
Earlier this week, the female cop filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the department as well as some high-ranking officers, with Hall claiming she was "groomed" by her colleagues.
Now, Hall has broken her silence on the controversy, telling WTVF that she felt "terrorized" by top cops in the department.
She told the outlet: "I know what most people are saying, you know, you could've said no. I get it. But my response to them is 'I did say no,' and he wouldn't take it for an answer. Eventually, I gave in from pressure."
Credit: La Vergne Police DepartmentHall, who said she was having marriage problems at the time of her sexual escapades, said she felt targeted by the department's all-male second shift.
She said: "I remember while applying for the job at the PD they described the environment as a family. But while I was aspiring to protect others, they did not protect me.
"My supervisors worked together to take advantage of my vulnerabilities and mental health, and they used it for their gain and their sexual pleasure.
"Who do you turn to when the chief of police is sexually harassing you? How can I get justice when the entire system, including the chief, not only condoned such behavior but participated in it? I was lost, and I felt alone. I had no one to turn to and nowhere to go."
She went on to say that she's been on the receiving end of threats since the story gained international attention. "I received harassing and threatening messages on my phone daily. I felt like I was terrorized," she said.
An investigation into the scandal led to the firing of five officers: Hall, Patrol Officer Juan Lugo Perez, Sgt. Lewis Powell, Det. Seneca Shields and Sgt. Henry Ty McGowan. Three others were suspended: K-9 Officer Larry Holladay, Patrol Officer Patrick Magliocco and Patrol Officer Gavin Schoeberl.
In her lawsuit, Hall - who was 24 when she started working in the department - referred to the male officers she had sexual relations with as "predators".
The suit reads: "Where Ms. Hall sought role models at her new job, she instead found predators. In place of offering professional development, her supervisors and the Chief of Police groomed her for sexual exploitation.
"They colluded in using their authority to systematically disarm her resistance and entrap her in degrading and abusive sexual relationships, even sharing tips on the best ways to manipulate and exploit her."
