BARDSTOWN, Ky. (WDRB) – A special judge ruled Monday that the Nelson County sheriff and his chief deputy did not retaliate against a whistleblower detective who has accused the pair of criminal misconduct.
Nelson County Sheriff Ramon Pineiroa and Chief Deputy Brandon Bryan are still facing charges stemming from allegations they illegally sold vehicles seized by the sheriff's office. But in court Monday, the two men scored a legal win in a related matter.
Judge Elise Spainhour ruled there was no retaliation against Detective Ian Justice, who is a central figure in the whistleblower lawsuit against the department.
"Everything I know about human nature would indicate to me that the last person a criminal defendant wants to have a cheery good morning from is the person that's helped make them a criminal defendant," Spainhour said from the bench, addressing prosecutor Amanda Troutman.
Justice had been ordered not to speak to Pineiroa or Bryan after greeting the deputy on two separate occasions at the sheriff's office in April. Bryan filed two complaints as a result of those greetings, prompting the detective's appointed supervisor to issue an order.
"There should be no recourse for being polite," Justice testified. "Whether what you think I meant or what Brandon Bryan thought I meant. There is no recourse for that."
Despite testimony from multiple sheriff's office employees, Spainhour said the evidence didn’t support claims of retaliation.
"They’ve never been demoted, never been disciplined," defense attorney Steve Romines said. "It's all just more of the same made-up garbage... It's a waste of money having to come into court and argue these ridiculous things."
The criminal trial for Pineiroa and Bryan is scheduled for October.
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