Threats, harassment alleged: Rapides Police head seeks injunction against Juror Jay Scott

Rapides Parish Police Jury President Joe Bishop is seeking a permanent injunction against another juror, Jay Scott, alleging that he has threatened and harassed fellow jurors and employees.

"Through his improper conduct, Scott has repeatedly violated Police Jury employees' and Police Jury members' right to be free from an atmosphere steeped in threats, harassment, intimidating behavior and vulgar, indecent language," reads the injunction that was filed with the Rapides Parish Clerk of Court's Office.

No court dates have been set in the 9th Judicial District Court, according to online clerk records. Scott represents District I and is chairman of the jury's Tourism and Economic Planning and Development Committee, according to the jury's website.

A message seeking comment sent to Scott through social media wasn't immediately returned.

The petition accuses Scott of making "veiled threats" and expressing "indecent, repugnant vulgarisms" to jurors in public and in the presence of parish employees. It lists three examples, one each involving different jurors — Bishop, District F member Ollie Overton and District G member Sean McGlothlin.

According to the petition, Scott insulted Overton while female parish employees were present at a public meeting in a hallway off the meeting room.

"F--- you Ollie," Scott allegedly said. "I ain't got no f------ use for you. I started to take your f------ ass out when you were running. You f------ around there and voting with them m-----f------ white boys. I ain't got no f------ use for you."

He sent a text to Bishop, who represents District B, that allegedly asked him "what kind of games yall playing ... Believe me I'm paying attention to yall b--s---."

The copy of that text filed with the petition showed Scott's confusion over a procedural move and what Bishop allegedly told him about it. He claims Bishop lied and then texted he was paying attention to "yall b---s---."

The petition states he sent a text to McGlothlin that allegedly said, "Sean this the second damn time u have came at Me with some f--- s---. That's not what the f--- I said. I try to be cool but I not that cool. Don't ever agin in ur life try to ask or tell me what the f--- nobody said I say."

The petition states McGlothin sent a "vulgar response" back to Scott, but it does not contain that response. The response is not included in the attached exhibits not under seal, either.

It states an injunction is needed for multiple reasons, including that Scott possibly is violating several state and federal laws and his oath of office. Multiple exhibits were filed with the petition, but those from parish employees have been filed under seal to protect their identities and prevent "any possible verbal abuse or other retaliation by Scott," it reads.

The petition also includes an allegation that female parish employees complained to their supervisor, also female, about "some, but not all of Scott's improper behavior and blatant, unapologetic vulgarisms." The employees, according to the petition, told their supervisor that an "incident" after a committee meeting "made them very uncomfortable and worried that it may escalate to a more serious altercation."

The supervisor reportedly said the employees found the "severe curse words and racial undertones used by Mr. Jay Scott offensive and unprofessional." She said it was part of her job to provide a safe and positive work environment.

At the end of the March 11 meeting, Bishop asked all jurors to be polite, professional and respectful in dealing with each other. A copy of what Bishop said was included as an exhibit and, in it, he said his message was directed to all jurors, "not to anyone in particular."

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After the meeting, Scott asked for a private meeting with Bishop. The two went into the president's office, and the door was left open. District D member Ernest Nelson was there, too, it states.

Scott allegedly "began a loud, vulgar tirade," using curse words, accusing people of "playing games with my a--" and bragging of telling off Overton. Nelson told Scott to watch his language because of the open door and the female employees nearby, but Scott claimed they couldn't hear anything.

A Rapides Parish Sheriff's deputy stepped into the doorway and asked Scott to stop cursing, but Bishop told Scott their meeting was over.

The employees later told Bishop they could hear what Scott had said in his office and, before going into the meeting, Scott was in the lobby near the employees, who overheard him say, "... these b---- a-- m-----f------.

The next day, a female parish employee complained that Scott approached her during her lunch break at an Alexandria restaurant to talk to her about what had happened the previous day.

He allegedly referred to a "piece of paper" that stated he was a threat to the office, that two employees were scared of him and that he had made racial comments to Overton.

Scott defended his comments to Overton, "stating his 'white boys' reference while confronting minority Police Juror Overton did not include the word 'crackers' and said any reference to Scott as 'black' would simply describe 'what he is,' although calling him a n----- would be racist," reads the petition.

And the employee said Scott allegedly spoke about his past, mentioning they hadn't been hostile, that they needed to read his arrest record and how he wasn't afraid of it, that he used to be crazy but wasn't now, it reads.

The employee reported Scott said "if it was back in the old days he would have already cleared the courthouse" and that they didn't want to play with him.

In addition, Scott, who is married, showed her text messages and "lewd and suggestive" photos and videos of another female parish employee he might have been intimately involved with, telling her that he'd know where it came from if the information was leaked to others.

Scott has done this and more despite completing three sexual harassment training sessions, according to the petition.

"Apart from the above described encounter with a female employee, Scott has also referenced his voluminous arrest record to other Police Jury employees, clearly intending to intimidate the employees, create fear of Scott among the employees and cement Scott's status as a dangerous person," reads the petition.

It reads that, because of Scott's mentions of his criminal record, Bishop obtained those records through the clerk's office. The petition claims Scott could have no other purpose in mentioning his record other than "to frighten, and/or to intimidate, and/or to create anxiety in any Police Jury employee or Police Juror member who hears Scott's arrest references, or actually reads Scott's extensive record of arrests."

The petition also alleges Scott has made and sent inappropriate statements and texts to another employee, followed that employee after working hours and caused concern for their personal safety. The employee allegedly described it as harassment and an interruption in their job performance that placed them under duress.

It states Scott has repeatedly visited administrative offices and has used profanity to describe other jurors, alleged "white privilege," tried to direct employees in their jobs and demanded that certain people be hired "as if the spoils system were alive and well and operated by Scott."

The peition seeks to prevent Scott from making threats or using crude or profane language in any form of communication to any jurors or employees and preventing him from entering the parish offices of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development for one year unless Bishop has granted a formal request from Scott so he can conduct official business or help his constituents.

It also specifically seeks to stop Scott from the "non-consensual disclosure of private images and/or photographs and/or videos" of one parish employee to any other parish employees.

This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: Petition: Juror Jay Scott threatened, harassed Rapides jurors, employees