Lawsuit claim: San Jose cop accused of rape sexually assaulted another woman just months earlier


By Tracey Kaplan

SAN JOSE -- The woman who prosecutors contend was raped by an on-duty San Jose police officer has made an explosive new accusation in a lawsuit, alleging that the cop had sexually assaulted "at least one other woman" just months earlier.
The lawsuit further alleges that the department knew or should have known about his conduct but failed to make sure he was accompanied by a second officer "at all times."
Officer Geoffrey Graves' lawyer did not respond to a request for comment. The woman's attorney also did not respond to requests for more information to support the new accusations, which are described only briefly in the lawsuit.
Earlier this year, Santa Clara County prosecutors charged Graves with raping an undocumented woman in September 2013, whom he first encountered during a disturbance call. The criminal complaint also charges Graves with two counts of felony domestic violence for allegedly injuring his then-girlfriend in incidents unrelated to the alleged rape.
But Graves is not charged with sexually assaulting anyone other than the alleged rape victim.
Assistant District Attorney Terry Harman, who oversees the office's sexual crimes team, declined to comment directly Tuesday on the new accusations, saying it is not the office's practice to discuss civil lawsuits. But Harman did not rule out the possibility of filing new charges, though she also stood by the existing complaint.
"We charged the appropriate crimes based on the evidence known to us," Harman said.
Graves is free on $100,000 bail and has been on paid administrative leave since March.
The lawsuit, filed earlier this month, names Graves, the department and city. It seeks an unspecified amount of punitive damages, as well as compensation for loss of earnings, medical costs and attorney's fees, on the grounds that the officer committed sexual assault/battery and violated the woman's civil rights, and the department and city were negligent.
The San Jose City Attorney's Office had objected to the filing, insisting that the alleged rape victim had lost her right to sue because she had filed a financial claim against the city, a mandatory prerequisite to a lawsuit, after the six-month deadline. City Attorney Rick Doyle declined to comment on the contents of the lawsuit, but said the office plans to defend the officer and the department.
But the woman's lawyer, Roger Hecht, argued that his client, who is undocumented and speaks limited English, was too traumatized after being sexually assaulted to file on time and was misled by government officials about her legal rights. A Santa Clara County Superior Court judge then waived the deadline, allowing the suit to proceed.
Graves faces up to eight years in prison if he is convicted. However, experts say prosecutors could add a gun enhancement because he was armed at the time of the alleged sexual assault, potentially extending his maximum sentence to life in prison.
Contact Tracey Kaplan at 408-278-3482. Follow her atTwitter.com/tkaplanreport.