A judge said during a federal court hearing in Greeneville on Tuesday that he “anticipates approving” a $4.2 settlement reached between Johnson City and hundreds of women as a result of a class action lawsuit brought against Johnson City and the Johnson City Police Department.
The lawsuit claims that the Johnson City Police Department failed to investigate the sexual assault cases of hundreds of women who reported sexual assault to the police over a five year period beginning in 2018. The lawsuit and settlement is connected to the department’s handling of alleged victims of Sean Williams, an alleged serial rapist who was convicted of producing child pornography and sentenced to 95 years in prison in early 2025.
The suit, filed nearly three years ago, claims that Johnson City Police did not properly investigate Williams when sexual assaults were reported. Williams was convicted of escape in July 2024 after he escaped from a van bringing him from Kentucky to federal court in Greeneville in October 2023. Williams was recaptured in Florida after stealing a truck and leaving Greeneville after some time.
The $4.2 million settlement, which is expected to be approved after some minor changes to some language in the agreement, is part of over $28 million Johnson City is paying out in settlements to alleged victims.
Despite the settlements, the City of Johnson City and its police department have denied any wrongdoing.
Tuesday’s hearing in federal court did not involve other settlements between individuals, and only pertained to the $4.2 million class action settlement.
Elizabeth Kramer, one of the attorneys representing the class action plaintiffs, said that the claims in the lawsuit were based on “discriminatory policies and procedures” at the Johnson City Police Department that violated the civil rights of those reporting sexual assault to the the department. The members of the class action lawsuit were not just alleged victims of Williams, but all women that reported sexual assault in separate cases as well. She noted that the members of the class action civil suit were done “dignitary harm.”
In addition to monetary payouts, with about $7,500 expected to be allocated to each class member after attorney fees, the settlement includes a provision that compels the Johnson City Police Department to provide a number of sexually oriented crime reports for attorneys to audit in the coming years. The settlement also requires changes to the department’s practices and protocols.
Kramer called the audit process “a true enforcement mechanism” that would help ensure the Johnson City Police Department handled sexually oriented crimes properly, and that policies and procedures that were “outdated” would be adequately updated.
Vanessa Baehr-Jones, another attorney representing the plaintiffs said policy changes included ensuring that physical evidence was collected from sexual assault crime scenes in a timely manner and that alleged perpetrators were interviewed promptly. New polices will also include when and how to interview a victim of sexual assault.
Judge Travis McDonough said he was looking to ensure that the settlement was “fair, reasonable and adequate to the class members.” McDonough expressed concern with some language in a section of the settlement that he said he felt was not clear enough that the class action agreement did not involve or release any other settlements or lawsuits.
“I’m going to ask the lawyers, if possible to file a joint proposal that revises the release language,” McDonough said after he noted that he intended to approve the settlement after the language was adjusted. “I am not trying to undo anything you all have done.”
Lawyers representing the plaintiffs and representing Johnson City met privately with McDonough in his chambers during a brief recess to discuss the language prior to McDonough returning to the courtroom and announcing his intent to accept the settlement once the language was adjusted. “I think everybody’s on board,” he noted.
McDonough said it had been “an honor” to be involved in the resolution of the class action settlement. “I’m sure this seemed like a long haul for people on both sides,” McDonough said.
After the hearing, attorneys and members of the class action lawsuit against Johnson City spoke outside of the federal courthouse on West Depot Street.
Baehr-Jones reiterated that the judge had “indicated his intention to approve the class action settlement. We are extremely pleased that we were able to reach such a settlement for claims brought on behalf of a class of women reporters of sexual violence.” Baehr-Jones noted that it had been “a long road to achieving justice” and that the sexual abuse survivors that had been a part of the lawsuit were “incredibly brave.”
“I am so incredibly grateful to the women standing here today, and to all our clients in this case because they made this process one that was imbued with justice,” Baehr-Jones said. One of those victims, who introduced herself as Kaleigh and as a victim of Williams, said that the expected approval of the settlement brought her hope.
