Published: June 19, 2008 10:42 pm      

Richmond man sues Humana, KSP officer

Jeffery C. Caudill of Richmond filed suit June 13 in Madison Circuit Court against Kentucky State Police officer John Scott Felder and Humana Health Plan insurance, along with three of its employees, alleging that he was falsely arrested and imprisoned on charges of terroristic threatening.

According to the suit, Madison District Judge Earl-Ray Neal dismissed the charges against Caudill on Jan. 4, 2008.

He is seeking damages in excess of $4,000 for injuries suffered when he was arrested and for “pain, suffering and embarrassment” and to cover medical expenses, court costs and attorneys’ fees.

Caudill’s suit claims that Humana Health Plan employees Ashle, Curry, Melanie (Liberty) Brady and Angela Gammons slanderously communicated information “which they knew to be untrue,” conduct “calculated to intentionally inflict mental distress.”

According to the suit, the defendants told state police Caudill had threatened to “blow up a building owned or occupied by the defendants” after he was told on June 15, 2007, that payment for a diabetes prescription could not be approved for 72 hours.

Such approval had not been required previously, the suit claims.

Caudill told Humana personnel that his glucose level was above 600, and a 72-hour delay could prove fatal, according to the suit.

The suit states information which Humana personnel gave to the state police, led to an “invasion” of Caudill’s home by KSP personnel “dressed like commandos and brandishing firearms such as shotguns.”

Caudill’s suit claims that “excessive force” was used to throw, and hold, him on the ground, and a firearm was placed “in close proximity” to his face.

Family members and children were in the home, and neighbors were told to leave their yards as the arrest took place, the suit says.

Felder “knew or should have known that statements in the complaint” against Caudill were “untrue and not supported by any facts known to, or provided to him,” according to the suit.

The suit also claims that Felder “failed to fully investigate the complaint” and determine whether Caudill committed the acts it alleged.

The suit also claims that Felder later learned that the allegations against Caudill “were not founded in fact or law,” but Felder “failed to take any remedial action.”



Bill Robinson can be reached at brobinson@richmondregister.com or at 623-1669, Ext. 267.