Officer Chris Miller Charged With Statutory Rape

[Critique]

Dec 20, 2006



A former member of the Gallatin Police who resigned two months ago is facing a statutory rape charge.

Former officer Chris Miller was formally charged and arrested Wednesday. Officials said Miller, 25, had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old.

Miller resigned in October when an internal investigation started.

"It is an embarrassment. But like I said earlier, we have to hold the officers accountable. And once we obtained the information that this activity had possibly occurred, then there was a criminal and an internal investigation opened up into Officer Miller's conduct," Kate Novitsky with the Gallatin Police Department said.

Two of Miller's fellow officers have also resigned. Officials said they knew about the inappropriate relationship but failed to report it.

Miller was released on bond.

www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=5841829

[Critique]

GALLATIN, Tenn. -- A former Gallatin police officer said he was forced to quit, for no good reason.

Jonathan Outlaw said he knew nothing about a fellow officer's inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old girl that has now led to an arrest for statutory rape.

The police force said he could have and should have spoken up.

The Gallatin Police Department began their investigation of former Officer Chris Miller in September. Miller was arrested on charges of statutory rape Monday.

The Sumner County Grand Jury indicted Miller on the charges Friday.

In Tennessee, anyone under 18 and older than 13 is considered a victim of rape, whether they consent to sex or not.

Miller and two other officers resigned from the police in late October.

Outlaw and Junior Fields were being investigated for official misconduct because they possibly knew about Miller’s alleged illegal sexual activity.

Outlaw said he wasn’t there and doesn’t know anything about what happened. He said his lawyer advised him that it would be better to resign than to possibly be terminated.

Outlaw said he is tired of feeling like he is guilty by association and doesn’t know how he got involved in the investigation.

“I don’t know if it was due to the fact that we were friends. I don’t know exactly how I was brought into it,” Outlaw said.

Miller will be back in court on Jan. 2.

If he is found guilty, his sentence could be from one to two years.

Outlaw and Fields are not charged with any criminal activity.

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