Maui Police Chief John Pelletier has been accused of posing as a California sheriff's deputy when an alleged Sean 'Diddy' Combs rape victim called 911, according to an amended lawsuit filed in Northern California federal court.
In a nearly 90-page civil lawsuit filed by Ashley Parham and two unnamed individuals, Pelletier - who at the time was a Las Vegas police captain (and was incident commander during the Las Vegas shooting), is accused of instructing Parham to go home after a violent gang rape she says involved Combs, NFL star Odell Beckham Jr. and comedian Druski, whoever that is - all of whom have strenuously denied the allegations.
The accuser claims a neighbor — who she believed at the time was a good Samaritan — called cops after she fled the home in the wake of the alleged gang rape.
“Pelletier, falsely posing as a Contra Costa Sheriff, told [the alleged victim] and the neighbor that they had received several noise complaints prior to the neighbor’s call and instructed [Parham] to find a way to get home,” the filing states. -NY Post
Parham claims that Pelletier then gave an envelope to a neighbor, which she believed to be full of cash - after which he took her and another plaintiff at gunpoint to his him, restrained them, refused to let them contact an attorney, and made various moves to cover up the kidnapping - as opposed to offering to take the woman home, call an ambulance, take her to the hospital, or help retrieve her belongings from the home she had fled, the filing claims.
In response to the allegation, Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen requested that the Maui County Police Commission put Pelletier on administrative leave while the investigation remains ongoing, Hawaii News Now reports.
While the allegations in the amended complaint remain unproven, they are serious in nature and involve claims of alleged criminal conduct.
As with any such legal matter, due process must be observed, but the existence of these allegations alone presents concerns regarding public trust and the effective functioning of the department.
There is precedent within the County of Maui government for placing appointed officials on leave while allegations against them are investigated. -Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen
Pelletier released a statement on Tuesday calling the allegations "completely false," adding that he has not been "formally served with any legal paperwork."
Throughout my career, I have served with integrity and dedication, and I am deeply disappointed by this request, which I believe to be both premature and unjust. I understand the importance of transparency and accountability in law enforcement, and I fully intend to cooperate with any necessary processes to ensure the truth is known. -John Pelletier
"We are confident that the evidence will demonstrate these claims to be false and will expose those who are deliberately trying to manipulate the legal system to spread misleading narratives," said a spokesperson for Pelletier.
Parham's initial suit accuses Combs of threatening her with a knife, and used a TV remote to rape her in a revenge attack after she suggested a month earlier that Combs was involved in the murder of Tupac Shakur. She says that a handful of other men then took turns raping her.
Druski, the alleged comedian whose real name is Drew Desbordes, is accused of putting oil on Parham's naked body before "
Combs has denied the various claims leveled against him.
"This new complaint — brought by an attorney who has already been sued for defaming Mr. Combs — demonstrates the depraved lengths plaintiffs will travel to garner headlines in pursuit of a payday," Combs' attorneys said in the wake of the amended suit.
"Mr. Combs was nowhere near Orinda, California on the day Ms. Parham claims she was assaulted there, and the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department has already confirmed Ms. Parham’s claims were determined to be unfounded following a thorough investigation."
"In an attempt to salvage her claims following the investigation debunking them, Ms. Parham has now invented an even wilder narrative, alleging a vast [and facially implausible] conspiracy between law enforcement, local civilians, and media industry players," the attorneys added.
We do wonder how a call to 911 would have resulted in the appearance of Pelletier vs. the actual police.
