TULSA, Okla. — A former Tulsa resident claims she would not have been sexually assaulted by her then-boyfriend, if two Tulsa police officers hadn’t recklessly left the two of them alone together.
In January 2025, Denzil Berryman was convicted of strangling and sexually assaulting the woman, who also testified against him.
He is still awaiting sentencing.
In the meantime, the victim filed a lawsuit. It states that she called 911 after Berryman, enraged, hit her, damaged her home, threatened to kill her cat and refused to leave the house.
Two officers arrived on the scene. The four of them were outside of the residence talking about the situation. Documents state Berryman said he refused to leave the premises without his cell phone, which is believed to be inside. The victim goes back inside to look for it.
Documents state Berryman, while still outside with the officers, finds his phone in his backpack.
Without informing the victim, still inside looking for the phone, the officers leave and Berryman is still there.
WATCH: 'Avoidable rape' lawsuit filed against Tulsa PD, officers
The suit claims the victim was in a terrified state and was led to believe she had no means of getting Berryman to leave, since police left him there. Berryman goes back inside with the victim.
That is when Berryman choked her to unconsciousness and raped her.
The suit accuses TPD and former Chief Wendell Franklin of allowing multiple policy and procedure violations, including repeated instances of not turning on body cameras. The suit claims the two officers on the scene, patrolling together, were also dating, violating policies, as well.
It claims TPD intentionally ignored and disregarded sexual assault claims and “treated the female as not credible and instead protected the male assailant.”
There are also claims of lack of training and discipline on multiple levels that led to this situation.
The Tulsa Police Department does not comment on pending litigation.
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