“Grim and shocking,” is how a grand jury summed up its reaction to Lisa Tanner’s treatment the night she was held in restraints, twice, at the Flagler County Jail five years ago, when she was 28.
“Crusading” and abusing his power on behalf of his spoiled daughter, is how the sheriff’s office reacted to John Tanner’s charges against the office when Tanner, Lisa’s father, was the State Attorney at the time. Tanner would go on to lose his re-election bid against R.J. Larizza in 2008, in part as a result of the bad publicity over his daughter’s case.
Excerpt from the Lisa Tanner Jail Video[media id=96 width=300 height=250]
For all the politics, the claims and counter-claims and the theatrics involved, there were some undisputed facts, and there was a 67-minute video documenting Tanner’s ordeal at the jail. One of the undisputed facts is that Lisa Tanner had been arrested in March 2005 on bogus charges by Nathaniel Juratovac, then a Flagler Beach police officer whose romantic interests for her she’d rebuffed. So she was innocent all along when she was taken to the Flagler County jail. (Those charges were dropped.)
As the News-Journal wrote when the brutality came to light in 2006, Lisa Tanner “was innocent when she was denied the small measure of privacy she requested to use the bathroom; innocent when she was ordered to follow a series of seemingly inane and increasingly controlling commands by jail deputies; and innocent when she was strapped twice into a restraining chair in the space of an hour, the second time violently and with the needless additional torture of a truncheon beneath her thighs. What annoyances she inflicted on her guards – a little banging on her cell’s window as she asked for privacy and some sass when she was being commanded about – were either minor or justified, especially for an innocent person feeling wronged.
“What wasn’t justified those three hours in the early morning of March 24, besides the arrest that started it all by a Flagler Beach police officer (whose conduct on the job has led to at least two lawsuits), was the violence and humiliation inflicted on her by her jailers. It should therefore surprise no one that a grand jury found her treatment at deputies’ hands ‘grim and shocking,’ and indicted two Flagler County sheriff’s deputies on various charges adding up to unnecessary force.”
The two deputies–Betty Lavictoire and Brian Pasquariello, both still sergeants with the sheriff’s office–have now each written letters of apology to Lisa Tanner. “I want to take responsibility for my actions and involvement on March 25, 2005 surrounding your detention,” Pasquariello wrote on Oct. 18. He addressed Lisa as “Dear Ms. Tanner.” “I hope that you will accept my apology and we both can put this matter behind us.”
Lavictoire, who now works the front desk at the sheriff’s office and makes $63,251, went beyond the standard apology: “I trust that if we ever have the opportunity to meet again that the experience will prove to be more positive for both of us,” Lavictoire wrote. (See both letters.) The News-Journal obtained both letters from the State Attorney’s office for the 10th Circuit, in Polk County, and reported the apology in today’s editions. The 10th district took over the case from the 4th district, which had taken it over from the 7th (which includes Flagler), to avoid conflicts of interest.
The apologies were not prompted by a change of heart, but as a conditional legal maneuver: in exchange for the apology, Tanner would drop the charges against the two deputies (false imprisonment, battery and culpable negligence for Lavictoire, false imprisonment and culpable negligence for Pasquariello). The pair would also agree to complete training on use of force (presumably the sort of training every jail guard and deputy would, or should, periodically complete) and be suspended without pay for 10 days.
Lisa Tanner now lives in Hawaii.
Haw Creek Girl says
So when will John Tanner apologize to Lisa Lake for not prosecuting James Darrell Lake after he ADMITTED to John that he molested her daughter?
Mike says
I know they had to send the apologies but she didn’t deserve them. All she had to do was follow instructions, but her daddy had bailed her out before and he did it again.
If you have a complaint, first follow the orders of the police, then file your complaint later.
DR says
“What annoyances she inflicted on her guards – a little banging on her cell’s window as she asked for privacy and some sass when she was being commanded about – were either minor or justified, especially for an innocent person feeling wronged” – – all are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, this does not excuse her behavior… the feelings of bias towards the SO is obvious, and in viewing the video all use of force in my opinion appear justified… when given a lawful command you follow it or force is used to gain compliance…
J.J. Graham says
I know Lisa and worked together with her for a two year period as her manager. She was a great employee and has become an even greater friend, not only to me but to my family as well. I think anyone passing judgment should put their daughter in the chair, and visualize their own reaction to the treatment. John Tanner was right to stand by her. I stand by her, and I have known her a lessor amount of time than he has.
starfyre says
i pray for her forgiveness
HB says
Lisa is being treated differently because of who her father is. If all conditions were the same (bogus charges from an officer who has two previous lawsuits for misconduct on the job), but against a different economic class, or race, there would be hell to pay. There would be a public outcry and people would be demanding these officers be terminated or resign. Instead people are annoyed because the officers had to say “sorry?” Seriously?
I don’t know how anyone can overlook those undisputable facts. And I also want to know why Haw Creek Girl thinks it’s appropriate to air something so personal about another person. I suspect there is no truth to it though, HCG is probably still upset because Miss Tanner wouldn’t let her sit at the “cool” table in high school.
I know Lisa; she is honest, loyal, intelligent, hilarious, trustworthy and one of the best friends, sisters or daughters anyone could hope for. The people who know her, love her, No one else’s opinion matters.
Haw Creek Girl says
I am not sure why HB would consider the actions of a State Attorney in the matter of a heinous felony a personal matter. This is all public record and clearly violates Florida Statutes and Florida Bar rules. When you are an elected official your actions in that office is of course the business of those that elected you. BTW, I was several years ahead of Lisa in school and my “cool table” was full to the brim. I don’t hold anything personal against Lisa. My comment was directed towards other actions her father committed as State Attorney that was just as unethical as his involvement in Lisa’s dilemna. You know Lisa Tanner, so do I. My comment was made because I know Lisa Lake and her daughter.
HB says
aaaah……I must appologize to you HCG, as I misread your comment. I thought you were writing about Lisa T. L. Lake and L. Tanner have has nothing to do with each other and perhaps it is best to let Lisa Lake decide herself if she wants her molestation be put on display. Keeping on point is essential to have a relevant, meaningful diologue. Good day!
HB says
PS….I’m not being argumentative here, I really want to know; How exactly were John Tanner’s actions unethical in the matter of Lisa Tanner? If you or your loved one was brought up on bogus charges by a cop abusing his badge (talk about a misuse of power) and then strapped to a chair until she went unconscious only because she didn’t sit properly, wouldn’t you want a simple apology? An apology is unethical? LT wasn’t violent, she didn’t spit or hit or attack the officers. She did sit. She just didn’t sit the exact way they told her to. Since when does that constitute an innocent person having their civil rights violated?
Haw Creek Girl says
If an apology was all that was requested, I would be more than alright with that. Lisa did deserve an apology, especially from the arresting officer (and I use the word officer loosely when it comes to him). Unfortunately, it was way more than an apology. It was letters being written on SAO’s letterhead to defense attorneys looking for “ammo” to use against the same officer. It was the sealing of the facts of the Shorstien investigation, it was the huge lawsuit that will cost the taxpayers of this county in the long run and so on. Those things were the things that definately left a sour taste in my mouth and in my opinion cost John his office. As far as Lisa Lake’s daughter’s molestation, yes……she wanted it prosecuted but her justice system failed her because John failed to do his sworn duties as the highest ranking law enforcement official in the 7th Judicial Circuit.
starfyre says
they shoulda zapped the chair with 19012320983 volts with her in it..little brat
HB says
Well, I can’t speak about Lisa Lake because I don’t know any of the facts. As for sealing records……the appeals court found there was a legitimate reason to do so. So I figure, since they have more of the facts than I do, that it was justified. If apologies were in written on SOA’s letterhead only to gather ammo (as you said) against a rogue cop. So what. He should have been fired anyway. An ammo gathering mission shouldn’t have been necessary in the first place and THAT is the wrong there. I can’t say why Tanner lost the election. More to the point, none of that matters here. We are talking only about the way an innocent woman was treated because a bad cop had it out for her.
My point about this article is, I stand by what I said before….if this were someone of a lower economic class, or a different race, people would be demanding justice. They would be demanding these cops be fired, lawsuits would be applauded and the sh*t would hit the fan. An apology wouldn’t even come close to rectifying what happend to her and most people wouldn’t accept it. Because Lisa is who she is, suddenly the standards for what is corrupt police behavior have changed. Replace the name Tanner with Smith. Change the father’s occupation to bus driver. I think we would see a very different reaction from people.
Haw Creek Girl says
Sadly, I believe it happens to Lisa Smith the bus driver’s daughter everyday. Look at OJ, it’s the defense your money can buy. In Lisa Tanner’s case it was the influence of her father. I agree that she shouldn’t have been jailed but the only reason it ended on a good note for her was her father’s influence. Lisa Smith, the bus drivers daughter would still be on probation, paying her money to the State and so on and so on. That grand jury report was sealed due to Tanner’s friendship with Judge Hammond of over 30 yrs. The Appeals Court would be heavily influenced by Hammond, as well. The apologies weren’t written on SAO letterhead. The letters were looking for further ammo on the officer. Like you said, was that really necessary? He was already clearly not credible and therefore not employable so why lower the office that you hold by trying to dig up more mud on someone already covered in it? But again, back to your original post and opinion…..I would like to believe that Lisa Smith the bus driver’s daughter would have had a chance but sadly, in my opinion…her injustice would have only continued with prosecution and a criminal record. I believe it happens everyday and a lot more often in Flagler County than you care to imagine.
HB says
I agree with you that if it happened to Lisa Smith she would be on probation and paying money to the State. Money does buy a good defense. But the “people” would be behind her. You can only speculate reports were sealed because of a 30 year friendship. Neither one of us can say for sure. But the facts we do know speak for themselves. As you said, she never should have been jailed in the first place. Fortunately for LT her father is who he is. But people’s anger shouldn’t be aimed at the Tanner family because they are in a position to fight back. It should be aimed at the department who made the fight necessary in the first place. Regardless of how anyone feels about JT. That cop arrested an innocent woman, because of a personal vendetta, took her to jail and violated her civil rights. JT is a good father, if nothing more. He stood by his daughter as I think we all would for our own children.
J.J. Graham says
Let’s all take a brief moment and pray for Starfyre. Stupidity is a serious illness we could all do without.
jes wright says
what a blatant abuse of power..she deserved more than an apology, those abusers should have been fired
Anonymous says
Some of these writings are pretty typical people who just resist authority. I personally seen Tanner at a FB party she was throwing on the Beach on the south end of town. The FD and PD had been called for somekind of problem and when they showed up she totally went out of control on them. So I felt absolutely NO feeling sorry for the bitch when she was arrested and she should have been shown some disrespect. If her daddy would not have been the SA she probably would have had more of a problem. SHE GOT EVERYTHING SHE DESERVED< and she most certainly does not deserve an appoligy from anyone.
J.T. Quigley says
Probably written by some guy she ditched. Some anonymous dude.
J.T. Quigley says
Hey Anonymous why don’t you dress Starfried up in ah Popo outfit and let her dominate your panzy passive non-resistant buttocks with a 18inch nightstick named Thumper. Get it all on camara so we can see ya get what you deserve for referring to women as bitches. Howz that for a pretty typical response you compliant jive turkey. That outtah make you break out the ladies underwear flog yourself for awhile.
HB says
That’s some funny sh*t J.T!!!! I think you hit the nail on the head with “anonymous.”