Curtis Hill won't face criminal charges, but accusers file civil claims

Show Caption Hide Caption Curtis Hill won't face criminal charges Daniel Sigler, the special prosecutor investigating the allegations against the attorney general, made the announcement Tuesday at the Marion County prosecutor's office.

Update:

Gov. Eric Holcomb released a statement Tuesday afternoon:

“I said I believed the women who stepped forward to report sexual harassment by the Indiana Attorney General. The special prosecutor agreed and said, ‘I have accepted the victim statements as true.’ The findings show a disregard of the executive branch zero tolerance harassment policy. My position has not changed.”

Earlier update:

Senate President Pro Tempore David Long, R-Fort Wayne, and House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, said on Tuesday that they still think Attorney General Curtis Hill should resign, despite a special prosecutor's decision not to file criminal charges.

"I believed the women who came forward with reports of misconduct were telling the truth in May, and I believe them now," Long said. "The Attorney General’s behavior that night toward the women involved is unacceptable."

Erin Reece, a spokeswomen for Bosma, said the speaker "stands by his prior public statements regarding Attorney General Curtis Hill."

Neither offered impeachment as a possible way to remove Hill. Instead, Long said it's up to voters. Hill won't be up for reelection until 2020.

"I called for the Attorney General to step down in July, and I continue to believe that is the right thing for him to do," Long said. "However, it appears that he has no intention to do so, and that is his decision alone to make at this time. The people of Indiana will have the final say in this matter.”

Indiana House Democratic Leader Terry Goodin also said in a statement that Hill should resign.

“I would encourage everyone to read the reports issued by the Inspector General and the special prosecutor regarding the attorney general’s behavior — particularly the conclusions that are drawn by the Inspector General. Today’s announcement does not change my belief that AG Hill should resign. It cements it.”

Why Indiana AG Curtis Hill won't face charges and what happens next Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill, accused of inappropriately touching women at a bar, won't face charges in the case, special prosecutor Dan Sigler said. Four women who accused Hill now plan to pursue civil claims.

Earlier update:

The criminal defense attorneys representing Attorney General Curtis Hill released a brief statement Tuesday following an announcement that a special prosecutor would not pursue criminal charges against Hill:

The special prosecutor's investigation exonerates and absolves Mr. Curtis Hill of any factual and legal criminal behavior. Mr. Hill appreciates the diligence and thoroughness taken by Special Prosecutor Daniel J. Sigler in his investigation of his conduct on March 15, 2018, at Sine Die Party held at A.J's Lounge in Indianapolis, Indiana. We never doubted that Mr. Hill would be cleared of any alleged crimes. Special Prosecutor Sigler was charged with leading the investigation of the allegations and in doing so he worked closely with the Indiana Inspector General's Office as well as the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. Mr. Hill will continue to serve the people of Indiana in the capacity for which he was elected as the Indiana Attorney General. James H. Voyles and Jennifer M. Lukemeyer

Attorneys for Curtis Hill

Earlier update:

Indiana Inspector General Lori Torres released a searing 25-page report that details her office's investigation into allegations that Attorney General Curtis Hill inappropriately touched women at an Indianapolis bar in March.

In the report, Torres says multiple eyewitnesses called Hill's conduct inappropriate, creepy, unwelcome and made many women feel uncomfortable.

"The women affected indicated Hill’s actions caused emotional distress, family distress and anger," Torres writes in the report. "At least one woman left the sine die party in tears, others were upset enough to actively avoid any contact with Hill the rest of the night, and still others sought the protection of men and other women who were there. Several men at the bar observed unwanted touching and offered to get involved, but the women present actually came to the aid of each other, and the women present discussed it the following days."

Hill, a first-term Republican, has denied any wrongdoing and will not face any charges in connection with the allegations.

'Inappropriate, creepy, unwelcome': Read Inspector General report on Curtis Hill

Earlier update:

Four women who said they were inappropriately touched by Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill laid the groundwork today for a potential lawsuit against Hill, the Attorney General's Office and the state of Indiana, according to their attorney.

The four stood together as their attorneys spoke to journalists following an announcement from Daniel Sigler, the special prosecutor, who said Hill would not face criminal charges following allegations that he inappropriately touched the women at a party in March.

The group included Samantha Lozano, a legislative assistant for Indiana House Democrats, who came forward publicly for the first time Tuesday.

The other three women are: Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon, a Democrat; Niki DaSilva, a legislative assistant for Indiana Senate Republicans; and Gabrielle McLemore, communications director for Indiana Senate Democrats.

"None of us really want to be here," Reardon told journalists. "We know that the egregious behavior exhibited by Curtis Hill is unacceptable."

An attorney representing the women said they were victims of sexual harassment, employment retaliation and assault.

Hill has denied any wrongdoing.

It started at a legislative party: What we know about the allegations against Hill

Cold shoulder: Indiana GOP snubs Hill at Mike Pence event

There's a history: Hill, 13 other Indiana politicians caught in alleged sexual misconduct

Earlier update:

A special prosecutor will not file criminal charges against Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill, who was accused of inappropriately touching an Indiana lawmaker and other women during a party in March at an Indianapolis bar.

Daniel Sigler, the special prosecutor investigating the allegations, made the announcement Tuesday morning at the Marion County prosecutor's office.

At the press conference, Sigler said Indiana Inspector General Lori Torres and police questioned 56 people in the investigation.

Sigler said he found the witnesses to be credible, but did not believe he could prove Hill's intent in order to prove simple battery.

"I investigated: 'Did a crime occur there and could it be proven?'" Sigler said. "I decided that there was no crime that could be proven."

Investigators did not interview Hill, Sigler said. Hill submitted a video statement and then his attorneys responded to Sigler's questions about the statement, Sigler said.

Hill did not deny touching women, Sigler said, but there was disagreement about the extent of the touching.

The women who accused Hill of inappropriate touching, including Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon, stood nearby for the announcement. They were expected to speak with journalists on Tuesday morning.

Hill has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.

Sigler said he filed a report with Marion Superior Court outlining his reasons for not pursuing charges.

Earlier:

An update is expected Tuesday morning in an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct against Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill.

Hill, a first-term Republican, has been accused of inappropriately touching an Indiana lawmaker and other women during a party in March at an Indianapolis bar. Hill has not been charged with a crime and has denied any wrongdoing.

The allegations led to calls by fellow Republican leaders, including Gov. Eric Holcomb, for Hill to resign.

Daniel Sigler, a special prosecutor, will make an announcement at 10 a.m. during a news briefing at the Marion County prosecutor's office.

The announcement will come nearly three months after Sigler's appointment by Marion Superior Judge Lisa Borges. The appointment happened after Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry recused himself from any potential investigation because of his office's entanglements with Hill's office.

Hill's criminal defense attorneys fought the appointment, saying in court documents that a special prosecutor would "create the impression and fuel the speculation that there was a crime committed."

Sigler, a Fort Wayne attorney, is a former Adams County prosecutor, an office he held for 20 years as a Democrat.

He has been a special prosecutor in other investigations against elected officials, including former Indiana Secretary of State Charlie White. White, a Republican, was sentenced to one year of home detention on convictions of voter fraud, perjury and theft in 2012.

It's unclear whether Indiana Inspector General Lori Torres, who opened the initial investigation into the allegations against Hill, will attend the briefing Tuesday or provide an update.

A spokeswoman told IndyStar that Tuesday's briefing is being run by Sigler.

IndyStar reporter Mark Alesia contributed to this report.

Contact IndyStar reporter Tony Cook at 317-444-6081 or tony.cook@indystar.com. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter: @IndyStarTony

Contact IndyStar reporter Kaitlin Lange at 317-432-9270 or kaitlin.lange@indystar.com. Follow her on Twitter: @kaitlin_lange

Contact IndyStar reporter Ryan Martin at 317-444-6294 or ryan.martin@indystar.com. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter: @ryanmartin