BRIEF: Grainger settles lawsuit with four women who allegedly were raped at jail

April 15--Grainger County government on April 3 settled a $186 million lawsuit with four women who said a former jailer raped them at the facility, officials said.

The women filed the lawsuit in January alleging that jailer Jessie Cummings raped them in a part of the jail where surveillance cameras weren't in use. Cummings is no longer a jailer.

County Mayor Mark Hipsher said Cummings still faces criminal charges, but the county's insurance company, Assurance Company of Knoxville, settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount of money.

When asked why the amount wasn't revealed since county funds paid for the policy, Hipsher said he didn't even know how much the final amount was.

"Our insurance covers up to $2 million, so it has to be for less than that. I've heard of cases before where the settlement was an undisclosed amount and that's all I've heard in this case. I've not gotten anything official yet," he said. "It is a relief to have this settled. That way we know it is not going to cost Grainger County taxpayers any additional money."

More details as they develop online and in Wednesday's News Sentinel.

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