A woman in Horry County, South Carolina–best known as the home of Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand–has filed a lawsuit against a former county police detective, alleging a horrifying betrayal of trust. The woman claims that rather than help her get justice after being raped, he took advantage of her on several occasions. She also contends that his bosses knew he’d done the same thing with other women and did nothing to stop it.
Read a copy of the complaint filed on Wednesday here. The woman, known only as “Jane Doe 2,” says that in May 2015, she reported a forcible rape to Horry County police. The case was assigned to Senior Detective Troy Allen Large. When Large met with the woman, she contends that Large told her that he could understand why the suspect “could be turned on by her and unable to resist himself.”
Large closed the case as “unfounded”–but didn’t tell the victim. Instead, he told her that it had hit a dead end. He then offered to help her regain full custody of her kids, move to a new home, and get a car. But, the lawsuit contends, Large told the woman that this help would come at a price–taking part in a “nude ‘catfight'” against several other women. Doe says that she turned it down, prompting Large to warn her that he would see to it that she would never be able to see her kids again.
The woman accuses Large of engaging in “coercive and threatening behavior and unwanted advances” over the next few weeks–all while using his police vehicle and displaying his badge and firearm. When Large was caught on tape engaging in “inappropriate conduct” in Doe’s home, Doe reported it to Large’s bosses. They reprimanded him and sent him to counseling–but took no further action against him.
The final straw came on July 2. Large offered to take the woman to a court appearance in Conway, the seat of Horry County. After the hearing, the lawsuit contends, Large sexually assaulted the woman. She reported the incident to the county police. Following an internal investigation, Large was fired on July 31. Inexplicably, he wasn’t arrested.
The victim contends that the county police had “actual knowledge” that Large frequently sexually assaulted female victims of crime, based on reports dating prior to last spring. According to the lawsuit, the county police department is the subject of two separate investigations by the state attorney general and the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division arising from Large’s alleged conduct.
WMBF-TV in Myrtle Beach has learned that Large is the focus of a lawsuit filed in December by another woman, “Jane Doe 1,” alleging that he made numerous unwelcome advances toward her over a period of six months. Jane Doe 1 says she felt powerless to resist “out of fear of retribution,” and contends there were other victims as well.
The attorney for both women, James Moore, accuses Large of preying on “the most vulnerable of women” in a “downright shameful” way. He declares–in a colossal understatement–that these women are “heroes,” and more women are likely to come forward very soon.
Horry County officials haven’t responded to Jane Doe 2’s lawsuit, but their formal response to Jane Doe 1’s lawsuit doesn’t leave a lot of room for optimism. Among other things, the county contends that since Jane Doe 1 was unidentified, the county is “unable to form a believe as to the truth or falsity” of her claims. Translation–since she has remained anonymous, there’s no way to know if she’s telling the truth. Words fail me.
Needless to say, if these allegations are even half true, prosecutors need to find a way to make sure Large never walks among us again.
