COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho – Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris is accused of claiming that a local woman was in possession of child abuse material during a public forum.
According to a tort claim filed with the Kootenai County Clerk’s Office, Norris allegedly said that Pennie Collinson, the owner of a local photography company, was in possession of illegal child abuse photos.
“Pennie likes to give blow jobs and oral sex and photograph child pornography at the local library,” Norris was accused of saying by Collinson.
Collinson is pursuing $500,000 in damages for the county sheriff’s alleged statement.
“The above-described conduct constitutes slander, defamation, publication in a false light, intentional and/or negligent infliction of emotional distress, and invasion of privacy,” the tort claim said.
Norris used the official Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page and letterhead to refute Collinson’s claims.
“Not only are these allegations false, Sheriff Norris is posting $10,000 of his own money for video proof of such frivolous claims made by Ms. Collinson. Ms. Collinson’s allegations are 100% false,” Norris said.
It isn’t the first time this year Norris has encountered friction with a member of the public.
In April, his office was accused of giving preferential treatment to a member of law enforcement during a DUI arrest which Norris also refuted on official sheriff’s office letterhead.
Idaho does not require two-party consent to record a conversation, meaning that if there is a recording of the event where Norris made the alleged public remarks, they can be published without the speaker offering permission.
