Former Louisville Metro Police Detective Crystal Marlowe arrested more than a dozen people over a two-year period who could not have committed the crimes either because they were already in jail at the time or because of other evidence that supported their innocence.

In a unanimous decision, the appeals court ruled that Tiffany Washington’s lawsuit against former Det. Crystal Marlowe, LMPD and the city should have been dismissed by the trial judge because the suit was filed after the state’s one-year statute of limitations.

Two lawsuits filed by Mayor Greg Fischer's administration this year have potentially wide-ranging implications: Is Metro Government signalling a trend of shifting liability from the city to individual employees found at fault? 

"This has taken 11 years to get here and is vindication for Tiffany," said attorney Ryan Vantrease, who represented Tiffany Washington. "What happened to her is atrocious, and this restores our faith in the constitution."

The city has spent nearly $138,000 defending Crystal Marlowe since the suit was filed, according to records provided by the Jefferson County Attorney’s office.