After St. Charles County Prosecutor Tim Lohmar declined to file charges against Steven Roberts Jr. for the alleged rape of Cora Faith Walker, saying, “there was not enough credible evidence that sexual relations between these two people was anything but consensual,” Roberts filed a civil suit against Walker on October 27.
Roberts accused Walker of “making false and defamatory allegations” to law enforcement officials, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the leadership of the Missouri House of Representatives. Roberts claimed these public comments caused him “severe, medically diagnosable and significant emotional distress,” and he seeks to recoup damages “in excess of $25,000” each for three separate charges: defamation, malicious prosecution, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Bryan L. Hettenbach. Roberts is represented by Jeremy D. Hollingshead and Katie M. Rhoten. Walker does not yet have an attorney of record listed on Casenet and did not return a request for comment.
Roberts argues that Walker “either knew that she was not sexually assaulted by him” or “had no recollection of what took place,” and thus “her statements claiming sexual assault were made with serious doubts about its truth.” Walker claimed that she was unconscious when Roberts allegedly assaulted her at his home in St. Louis on August 26 or early on the morning of August 27.
Hollingshead claimed that Walker “made up these allegations in order to advance her own political career.”
Though the alleged assault happened in St. Louis, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce asked the St. Charles County prosecutor to take the case because of a conflict with her successor, Kimberly Gardner, who is running unopposed on the November 8 ballot. Gardner was a witness to public exchanges between Roberts and Walker around the time of the alleged assault, and thus would have had a conflict with the case once sworn in as prosecutor. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch incorrectly reported that Joyce had a conflict because Roberts used to work for her.
Walker and Roberts, both Democrats, also are running unopposed on the November 8 ballot. Walker is running for Missouri House District 74 in North County, and Roberts is running for House District 77 in St. Louis.
