Former Kentucky Lawmaker John Tilley Files Lawsuit Against Lexington Police Sergeant Alleging Defamation and Malicious Prosecution

Lexington – Former Kentucky lawmaker and ex-Justice and Public Safety Cabinet secretary John Tilley has filed a lawsuit against Sgt. Markell Heyward of the Lexington Police Department, alleging defamation and malicious prosecution, among other claims. The lawsuit was submitted to Fayette Circuit Court on August 30, following Tilley’s acquittal of rape charges in July.

According to court documents, Tilley contends that Heyward lied about evidence to secure felony charges against him. He was charged with rape in April 2022 after an incident involving a woman, referred to in the lawsuit as B.D., who claimed she became incapacitated after receiving an alcoholic drink from an unknown man while in downtown Lexington. During the three-day trial, Tilley asserted the encounter was consensual, while prosecutors argued that the alleged victim was too intoxicated to give consent.

Tilley’s attorney, Steve Schroering, criticized the investigation led by Heyward, labeling it “outrageous” and pointing out a lack of evidence to support the prosecution’s case. A significant point raised in the trial focused on a selfie taken by the accuser with another man, who looked nothing like Tilley and was dressed differently on the night of the incident. Despite this, Heyward reportedly swore in an affidavit that Tilley was the man in the photograph, as alleged in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit also claims Heyward failed to conduct a thorough investigation, as he did not capture video footage from local bars or examine additional photos from the woman’s phone. Tilley’s legal team argues that these oversights played a crucial role in bringing charges against him.

In the lawsuit, Tilley, who served as a Democratic representative for Hopkinsville and was chair of the House Judiciary Committee, stated that the charges caused him “great and lasting humiliation and embarrassment,” seeking unspecified monetary and punitive damages along with a jury trial.

The legal fallout continues for Tilley, as a civil lawsuit remains ongoing filed by his accuser, who claims he committed common law sexual assault, assault, battery, and negligence. The hotel where the alleged incident occurred is also included in that action.

The Lexington Police Department, through spokesperson Hannah Sloan, has stated it cannot comment on pending litigation.