Are civil lawsuits in Carper case possible? Attorney weighs in

CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) — The case of former Kanawha County Commissioner Kent Carper may not be over just yet. While there will be no criminal charges, there is the possibility of civil lawsuits.

13 News spoke with several lawyers on Wednesday who all believe the woman in the incident may have a solid case.

The release of police bodycam footage in the investigation of now-former Kanawha County Commissioner Kent Carper sheds some new light on the case.

This is the first time we hear the voice of a woman, who called 911 and said Carper indecently exposed himself to her at Charleston’s Daniel Boone Park.

Attorneys we spoke with say such an event can be traumatizing, and you can hear her being emotional about keeping her identity private. They believe a lawsuit could provide her with financial compensation for damages.

“They seem to be like they are part of the ‘Me Too’ movement, where a powerful perpetrator, on a victimless person like this woman. So, I think yes, there is a civil case here and I think the criminal case leaves many things unexplained,” said Attorney Richie Robb, a legal analyst.

Based on the investigation, Carper will not face any local, state or federal criminal charges.
Prosecutors say health problems Carper experienced that week, may have been a contributing factor. Medical issues Carper’s family says led to an “awful misunderstanding” in the park.
But again, a civil lawsuit is still possible.

We spoke twice with the woman in this case, but she declined to comment and referred us to her lawyers. We’ve left messages with them over the past year but they’ve never responded.

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