Dangerous Minds

An alleged rape at a county psych ward has Maricopa County acting like a schizophrenic

A A A Comments By Paul Rubin Thursday, Jan 30 2003

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"I think it's really wrong for Maricopa County to supposedly be on my side and against me all at the same time," McAllister says. "They say that I'm crazy, but I think the truth is that the situation I'm in really iscrazy."

Jennifer McAllister says she's trying to keep herself afloat mentally as the pressures of her legal battles grow. She says she's torn about whether to accept Maricopa County's recently tendered "final" settlement offer to her.

Lino

Justin Gregg, in a police booking photo taken in July 2001.

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Neither she nor her attorney will specify the amount, but McAllister says it's less than the $100,000-plus that the county has paid the Iafrate firm so far to defend it against her.

Still, McAllister says she knows that whatever sum she might collect would help her with a fresh start in life, possibly in a small town in Oklahoma, where she's from.

"I know people always say they didn't sue for the money and all that, but I didn't sue for the money," she says. "I sued because I was pissed at them for letting this guy rape me. I want this to get out there so it might not happen to another girl. I know I'll be the one on trial if either case goes to trial."

McAllister pauses for a moment, then continues. "There really hasn't been anything good that's come out of my coming forward so far. I don't know what to do."