Investigations into officer Fields
* 2004: Internal affairs: Officer-involved shooting. Finding: Justified. Discipline: None. * 2006: Internal affairs: Conduct unbecoming a law enforcement officer. Finding: Sustained. Discipline: 14-day unpaid suspension. * 2013: Internal affairs: Citizen complaint. Finding: Unfounded. Discipline: None. * May 2014: Internal affairs: Insubordination. Finding: Not sustained. Discipline: None. * September 2014: TBI opens an investigation into the claims that Fields had an inappropriate relationship with a woman while investigating her rape case. Finding: Still pending. This is an active investigation. Source: Chattanooga Police Department Internal Affairs, TBI
A federal magistrate judge said Wednesday he won't impose a gag order in the civil case filed against former CPD Detective Karl Fields.
The City of Chattanooga, which along with Fields is named as defendant in the case, had requested an order barring attorneys from making comments to the press. The city argued those comments would taint a potential jury pool.
But in an unusual instance of agreement, attorneys for both Fields and the woman who says he sexually harassed her while he was investigating her alleged rape said they didn't think any comments made so far had been inappropriate. When they disagreed about public comments, they were able to work it out amongst themselves, they said.
U.S. Magistrate Judge William B. Carter agreed, though he did warn attorneys to follow rules of professional conduct moving forward to insure a fair trial. He said no rules had been violated, and told attorneys to "continue to move forward and do what we as lawyers are supposed to do."