Victim Sues Fmr. Clovis Police Officer & Several Others

A civil lawsuit is filed against a former Clovis police officer. The plaintiff was a victim of domestic violence. She says she never got the help she needed when she called 9-11. Now, she’s suing everyone involved.

"This case involves all of the people in the domestic violence cycle," Attorney Kevin Little said.

Desiree Martinez began dating her ex-boyfriend Kyle Pennington back in February of 2013. By April, she says Pennington, a former Clovis police officer, had begun abusing her.

"I just kept seeking help and seeking help and trying to talk to somebody in order for someone to listen," Martinez said.

But each time she called the police, Martinez says Pennington’s co-workers, who were often acquainted with him, would show up. And each time, nothing happened.

"She was never told of her rights to a domestic violence advocate. She was never offered safe harbor in a shelter," Little said.

Eventually Martinez contacted the Sheriff’s Office, and an arrest warrant was issued for Pennington in June 2013.

He was eventually sentenced to 30 days in county jail and three years probation. Martinez now says she suffers from PTSD. She’s moved and lives under a different name.

The lawsuit names several parties: Kyle Pennington, his father, Kim Pennington, a reserve police officer with Sanger PD and his mother Connie Pennington, both of whom she says helped hide the abuse. It also names Channon High, an employee at Clovis PD who Martinez alleges contacted Pennington about her anonymous calls. The cities of Clovis and Sanger are also mentioned in the suit.
 
Our legal analyst, Charles Magill says Martinez has a strong case, and believes both cities will settle.

"It’s a political black eye for law enforcement to have someone who’s in law enforcement committing domestic violence, and then law enforcement trying to protect that person from complaints of domestic violence. It looks really bad," Magill said.

We reached out to both the city of Clovis and Sanger for a comment on the lawsuit.

Clovis responded in saying Pennington resigned June 26, 2013, and the Clovis Police Department cannot comment on the suit due to the pending litigation.

The city of Sanger says they have yet to review the allegations in the complaint and cannot comment on the alleged lawsuit.