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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