Ex-girlfriends sought protection from CMPD officer

by Associated Press

Posted on January 1, 2010 at 1:38 PM

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer charged with sexually assaulting two female motorists after pulling them over had restraining orders issued against him by two girlfriends in the past six years.

In both cases, the women told judges that 25-year-old Charlotte-Mecklenburg Officer Marcus Jackson, who was not on the police force at the time, threatened them with violence, according to records obtained by The Charlotte Observer.

Jackson was not convicted of a crime in either case. The officers who hired him in September 2008 conducted a criminal background check on Jackson, which revealed a 2003 complaint, but not the incident in 2005 because that record was expunged when charges weren't filed against Jackson, authorities said.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg force fired Jackson immediately after his arrest Wednesday night.

The investigation into the officer started Monday when the relative of a 17-year-old woman called police saying Jackson pulled over the teen while on duty in his marked patrol car on Dec. 18, then forced her into his cruiser and made her perform sex acts.

While that complaint was investigated, a second woman called police Tuesday night to say she was attacked by Jackson after being pulled over the day before. Police would not say what time on Monday they received the first complaint, or how much time passed before the second attack occurred.

"We worked the investigation around the clock with our Internal Affairs Division and Sexual Assault Unit," said police spokesman Capt. Brian Cunningham. "Within 24 hours of identifying Mr. Jackson as the suspect, evidence was collected, he was interviewed and arrested, and his employment was terminated. ... We believe that we acted in a swift and appropriate manner."

Jackson is charged with sexual battery, second-degree sex offense, extortion, kidnapping, indecent exposure and two counts of felonious restraint. He is being held on a $360,000 bond. His family refused to talk to reporters after a Thursday court hearing, and it wasn't clear if he had an attorney.

The two restraining orders were issued against Jackson while he was a college student.

In 2003, the mother of Jackson's 15-year-old girlfriend said he tried to hit the teen with a car, pushed her into a locker and threatened other violence. Jackson was accused of violating the order, but was found not guilty.

Two years later, a judge issued another restraining order against Jackson after a 21-year-old woman said he grabbed her by the face several times, slapped her face, pushed her to the floor and forced her into a closet. No criminal charges were brought in that case.

Police think Jackson could have assaulted other women while on duty, but authorities said no other victims came forward after the officer's arrest was announced.