Former jail deputy claims defamation

A former Spokane County Jail deputy says the county owes her $1.2 million for defaming her and for actions that she said forced her to resign.

Annette Ahlf worked in the jail from 1998 until September. She filed a claim against the county two months ago. Her attorney, Kelly Padhgam, said Wednesday that she expects to file a lawsuit in the matter.

Ahlf claims that a female sergeant in the jail assaulted her in March 2003 and May 2006.

“No action was ever taken by the county to rectify the situation,” the claim said.

Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said Wednesday that when he learned of Ahlf’s accusations regarding the May assault, Ahlf was asked if she wanted to pursue criminal charges and she declined. The sheriff said the department investigated the case internally and found Ahlf’s claim unfounded.

Ahlf also claims she was subjected to ridicule because of the department’s handling of the firing of Sgt. Gary Delzer.

Knezovich fired Delzer in July, allegedly for lying about two separate affairs with female subordinates and issuing a false document to get one of his lovers a new job.

Ahlf was not named by the sheriff, but she claimed that the information released indicated she was one of the women. Her claim says the information released to the media was “false” and “unprivileged.”

“The newspaper and or television stations subjected Ahlf to hatred, contempt, ridicule and obloquy,” Ahlf’s claim says.

Knezovich said he only released information to the media that was approved by attorneys.

“It was common knowledge within the jail, concerning the affair,” Knezovich said.

He said she was not punished for the alleged affair. But the sheriff said he is working to craft new guidelines that would prohibit such relationships between an officer and a subordinate.

“Her resignation caught the agency and myself off-guard,” Knezovich said. “There was no pressure for her to leave.”