Advertisement

Perry Denies Accusations In Strip Search Case

Republican candidate for the 10th Congressional District, state Rep. Jeff Perry, talks with reporters after a debate with Democrat Bill Keating in Newton earlier this month. (AP)
Republican candidate for the 10th Congressional District, state Rep. Jeff Perry, talks with reporters after a debate with Democrat Bill Keating in Newton earlier this month. (AP)

BOSTON — After the victim of an illegal strip search almost 20 years ago rocked the 10th Congressional District race with a written statement Wednesday, Republican candidate Jeff Perry denied accusations made by the woman.

"I heard nothing that night, and if I did, I would have acted right away," Perry said.

On Wednesday, Lisa Allen released a statement through her lawyer. Allen was one of two teenage girls illegally strip-searched by a Wareham police officer in the early 1990s.

[sidebar align="right" width="200"]ElectionWire
ElectionWire has analysis of the accusations. More...
[/sidebar]

Perry was a Wareham police sergeant at the scene of one of the strip searches. Allen says Perry had to have heard her screams and cries as she was strip-searched by the other officer.

Perry says that’s not so.

"This is something that happened 19 years ago," Perry said. "Either way, I'm sorry for Ms. Allen that she has to go through this. I'm sure it's very painful for her. What officer Flanagan did to her was despicable, should never have happened. And he paid the price for that."

Bill Keating, Perry’s Democratic opponent, says he has had no contact with Allen, and a spokesman for Keating says no one in the campaign has had any contact with anyone connected to Allen.

"I, just as a DA, have enormous respect for the courage she showed in stepping forward and speaking up," Keating said. "No one should have to experience the trauma that she's experienced, particularly in the hands of those that were entrusted to protect her."

Earlier:

This program aired on October 21, 2010. The audio for this program is not available.

Headshot of Fred Thys

Fred Thys Reporter
Fred Thys reported on politics and higher education for WBUR.

More…

Advertisement

More from WBUR

Listen Live
Close