Former KBR employee: I know I was drugged and raped in Iraq

Former KBR employee: I know I was drugged and raped in Iraq
Len Cannon

September 22, 2009

CONROE, Texas ? Conroe native Jamie Leigh Jones made national news when she
claimed to have been sexually assaulted by several co-workers at KBR.

At the time KBR, was a subsidiary of Halliburton.

Jones has talked openly about what she says happened in Iraq while she was
working for the Houston-based company.

"I am living with a disfigurement to my chest. I had reconstructive surgery
and I am so angered that someone would violate my body in such a personal
way," said Jones.

Jones was 20 years old in 2005 when she claims she was raped by KBR
co-workers after someone put a drug in her drink.

Since then, the case has been tied up in litigation, and the only comments
about the incident have come from Jones.

"I was drugged and raped. I know for certain I was drugged and I know for
certain I was raped. It is not possible," said Jones, when asked if it was
possible that the incident may have started out as consensual.

KBR tried to handle the allegation privately in arbitration. The arbitration
is mentioned in the very employment agreement Jamie signed. But last week
the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that arbitration doesn't apply in
this case.

KBR has said little about the matter, but they released a statement saying
that "KBR disagrees with the court's findings and is considering its option
to appeal."

Jones' lawyer, Todd Kelly, claims what happened to her is a pattern of abuse
that KBR has covered up more than once by going to arbitration.

"I would estimate between severe sexual harassment and rape that we have
30-40 women who have reported such things to Halliburton, and these are just
the ones we know about," said Kelly.

Kelly says he will subpoena at least four women to testify at trial. Two of
them, he says, were KBR employees who were raped by co-workers overseas.

Since the story first broke, Jones has gotten married, had a child and is
now teaching middle school in Houston.

She started the Jamie Leigh Foundation to help other sexual assault victims.
She says she wants any damages from a civil trial to go the foundation and
not into her pocket.

"It's not about the money. It's the bigger issues such as being able to sit
in front of a judge and have your day in court," said Jones.

Jones? day in court could still be months or years away.

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