Law

Tohono O'odham Nation man ordered to pay $10M to victim

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Jacob Harvey. Photo from Arizona Department of Corrections

A young member of the Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona has been ordered to pay $10 million to a rape victim.

Jacob Harvey, 22, was already serving a 30-year sentence for rape when he brutally assaulted a teacher at the Arizona State Prison Complex-Eyman in January 2014, according to Courthouse News Service. He pleaded guilty in August 2015 and was sentenced to life in prison, the AP reported at the time.

The victim subsequently sued Harvey and numerous state officials for damages in federal court. The state agreed to a $3 million settlement in December 2015, according to federal court records.

With Harvey as the only defendant remaining, the victim moved for default judgment. A federal magistrate said he refused to participate in a damages hearing in April despite given the opportunity to do so, according to a report dated August 3.

As a result, the magistrate recommended a $10 million default judgment against Harvey. Judge Susan R. Bolton accepted the recommendation in an order on Tuesday and again noted that Harvey declined to participate in the proceedings even after he sent a handwritten note to the court seeking an attorney.

Read More on the Story:
$10 million default judgment in case of Arizona prison rape (AP 9/21)