Ex-Cop Christopher Hays Faces Accusers

The former police officer faces criminal charges for allegedly inappropriately patting down women for his own sexual gratification

A former San Diego police officer, accused of sexual misconduct by several women, faced three of his accusers in court Tuesday.

At about 9 a.m., a preliminary hearing began for ex-cop Christopher Hays  in San Diego Superior Court.
 
Hays was charged in February with two counts of felony false imprisonment and three counts of misdemeanor sexual battery after allegations were made by four women.
 
Since being charged, three others have also accused Hays of inappropriate behavior on the job, but those claims have not resulted in charges.
 
In court, prosecutors argued that the former officer inappropriately patted down women for his own sexual gratification.
 
As Hays listened on, his accusers testified about what they say he did to them.
 
"He had all the control and all the power," said one of Hays' accusers about an alleged assault in which she said Hays followed her into her home after driving her there.
 
The woman said that the ordeal began as she and her boyfriend were walking along El Cajon Boulevard on Dec. 23. She said she was drunk at the time and was arguing with her boyfriend when Hays appeared.
 
Hays allegedly handcuffed the woman's boyfriend before releasing him and telling him to go home, leaving the woman alone with him.
 
The alleged victim said that Hays then asked her to pull her bra away from her body and shake herself, apparently to see if she was hiding anything.
 
The woman said Hays then drove her home, claiming that she was too intoxicated to get home alone.
 
She said that once they arrived at her residence, Hays followed her to the front door and inside. She claimed he asked her where the bedroom was and told her to put on pajamas.
 
She told the court she was scared and nervous as Hays asked her to do yet another "bra shake," this time with her nipples exposed.
 
As part of her testimony about the alleged assault, the woman detailed how Hays wore black plastic gloves once inside her apartment. She claimed he kept popping them in an odd and scary manner.
 
According to the woman, while standing between her and a door, Hays moved his hips forward and asked that she "just touch it." The woman claimed Hays was aroused.
 
She said that Hays left the apartment after she made enough noise to wake up a friend who was sleeping on a couch.
 
Another of Hays' accusers testified that he assaulted her while maintaining that he was showing her the difference between how male and female officers were allowed to pat down women.
 
According to the woman, the assault took place last October after Hays offered her a ride home from a bus stop three to four times, and she finally accepted. She says that she did not want to get in, but did what she was told because of an “extended criminal history."
 
She said she recognized Hays as the same officer who had arrested her and taken her to jail just three weeks earlier.
 
The woman said that after picking her up, Hays drove her to an intersection and dropped her off.
She said she entered a store, waiting for him to leave, but when she came out Hays was still there.
 
It was then, she claims, Hays said he "forgot to pat her down" and directed her to another area, behind nearby businesses. The woman said no other people were around in the dark, secluded area and she didn't feel safe.
 
She went on to testify that Hays then demonstrated a male and female officer pat down. She said that when he did the female pat down he used "a sexual touch" while groping and holding her breasts and private areas.
 
According to the woman, the pat down lasted for 20 minutes, during which Hayes commented on her vagina and breasts.
 
A third Hays’ accuser detailed how he allegedly picked her up on El Cajon Boulevard. She said that she was lost at the time and was trying to recycle bags of recyclables, without her eyeglasses and with a broken flashlight.
 
The woman claimed Hays drove her to a friend’s house. Once there, she said he patted her down, rubbing her breasts and private area repeatedly.
 
According to the woman, she and Hays then sat outside in the driveway of the home where he talked about inappropriate topics, such as the color of her underwear. She said he also stated that if he were in bed with her, he'd bite her neck and pull her hair.
 
The woman was said to have smoked methamphetamine on the day of the alleged assault and has done so for a little over a year.
 
Hays' attorney pointed out that the woman had poor eyesight and that using meth can cause memory problems.
 
A fourth accuser set to testify Tuesday did not show up because she has an outstanding arrest warrantt. Hays' attorney said he was going to ask to have her arrested if she showed up.
 
Hays’ attorney said he was once recognized for rescuing people from a burning home and that the allegations made against Hays were in stark contrast with his client's character.
 
At his arraignment Hays pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.
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