Three Baltimore police officers charged in rape case

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BALTIMORE, Maryland (AP) -- Three city police officers have been indicted on rape charges alleging that one officer had sex with a woman at a police station in exchange for her release and that the other two conspired to let it happen, the state's attorney's office said.

Officers Brian Shaffer, 31, Jemini Jones, 28, and Steven Hatley, 27, were indicted Friday on six counts, including first- and second-degree rape, conspiracy to commit rape, assault and misconduct in office.

All three officers are innocent, their attorneys said.

The investigation is continuing, said Margaret Burns, a spokeswoman for the Baltimore state's attorney's office.

The FBI opened a federal civil rights investigation, Barry Maddox, a spokesman for the FBI's Baltimore field office, told The (Baltimore) Sun. He said federal prosecutors could enter the case under a civil rights statute that prohibits abuse by police or others acting under the "color of law."

Burns told The Sun that Jones turned himself in Friday. The other two officers were preparing to do the same, their attorney, Michael Davey, said Saturday. A judge set bail at $100,000 each.

Attorney Warren Brown, representing Jones, said the rape accusation was made up by a 22-year-old woman who was arrested with another woman on December 27, allegedly with marijuana in their possession.

According to police documents obtained by The Sun, Jones asked the woman what she was willing to do to stay out of jail and she agreed to have sex. The second woman, who was 18, was taken outside, according to the documents.

Brown said his client did make an offer but not involving sex. He said the officer offered to let the woman go if she agreed to go into the community to help gather drug-related information.

"There's no DNA," Brown said. "There's no corroboration."

Davey said Shaffer and Hatley "adamantly deny any of the allegations that were made against them."

No charges were filed against the women, Burns said.

The officers were suspended with pay pending the outcome of the investigation.