OF WIND. ALSO A COOL DOWN FOR YOUR EASTER WEEKEND. BUT FIRST, BACK TO DUGAN DARNELL, A FORMER ALBUQUERQUE FIREFIGHTER ACQUITTED ON RAPE CHARGES LAST YEAR IS AGAIN SUING FOR HIS JOB BACK. JASON MCNABB IS LIVE WITH THE STORY FROM FIRE STATION ONE. WELL, YEAH. THAT’S RIGHT, DOUG AND SHELLY. AIDEN HAMMOND WAS ONE OF THREE ALBUQUERQUE FIREFIGHTERS ACCUSED OF RAPING A WOMAN NEARLY THREE YEARS AGO, AND ONE OF TWO TO ACTUALLY GO TO TRIAL. NOW, HAMMOND HAS BEEN ADAMANT THAT AFR TREATED HIM UNFAIRLY BEFORE HIS TRIAL AND NOW WANTS DAMAGES, AS WELL AS HIS JOB BACK. THIS IS AIDEN HAMMOND. HE’S ONE OF THREE ALBUQUERQUE FIREFIGHTERS WHO WERE CHARGED WITH RAPING A WOMAN BACK IN JULY OF 2023. HE WAS EVENTUALLY FIRED BY ALBUQUERQUE FIRE RESCUE AFTER AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION, AND WAS ALSO SUED BY THE VICTIM. COURT RECORDS SHOW. THAT LAWSUIT IS STILL ONGOING. HOWEVER, HAMMOND, ALONG WITH FELLOW ACCUSED FIREFIGHTER ANTHONY MARTIN, WERE BOTH ACQUITTED ON THE RAPE CHARGES. TWO YEARS LATER, WE FIND THE DEFENDANT NOT GUILTY OF CRIMINAL SEXUAL PENETRATION CAUSING PERSONAL INJURIES CHARGED IN COUNT ONE. HERE’S HAMMOND’S ATTORNEY, JASON BOWLES, AFTER THE VERDICT WAS REACHED. THEIR CAREERS HAVE BEEN RUINED. THEIR LIVES HAVE BEEN RUINED FOR TWO YEARS AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVE BEEN AFFECTED. SO NOW. YEAH, THANK GOD THEY’RE FREE. BUT NOW THEY GOT TO REBUILD IT ALL BACK. LAST YEAR, HAMMOND SUED THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE AND FIRE CHIEF EMILY JARAMILLO, CLAIMING DEFAMATION, WRONGFUL TERMINATION AND VIOLATION OF DUE PROCESS RIGHTS. THAT SUIT WAS DISMISSED BY A DISTRICT COURT JUDGE JUST LAST MONTH. NOW ANOTHER SUIT HAS BEEN FILED, THIS TIME IN FEDERAL COURT. IT MAKES SIMILAR CLAIMS TO THE PREVIOUS ONE, ALLEGING HAMMOND’S TERMINATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT WAS WRONGFUL SINCE IT HAPPENED BEFORE A TRIAL OR ANY ADMISSION OF GUILT. CHIEF JARAMILLO WAS ONCE AGAIN ACCUSED OF DEFAMATION, CLAIMING SHE BRANDED HIM AS A CRIMINAL THROUGH PUBLIC STATEMENTS BEFORE THE CASE WENT TO TRIAL. IT’S ASKING FOR BACK PAY DAMAGES FOR ALLEGED CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AND EVEN REINSTATEMENT AT AFR. NOW. ATTORNEY JASON BOWLES IS ALSO REPRESENTING HAMMOND IN THIS NEW LAWSUIT. HE DECLINED TO SPEAK WITH US ABOUT IT AT THIS TIME. REPORTING FROM FIRE STATION ONE. I’M JASON MCNABB, KOAT ACTION SEVEN NEWS, A SPOKESPERSON FOR AFR TOLD US AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION DETERMINED
Former Albuquerque firefighter files another lawsuit for job back after acquittal on rape charges
Aden Heyman, a former Albuquerque firefighter acquitted of rape charges, is suing again, this time in federal court, for his job back and damages, claiming wrongful termination and defamation.
Aden Heyman, a former Albuquerque firefighter who was acquitted of rape charges last year, is suing yet again for his job back and damages, claiming wrongful termination and defamation.Heyman was one of three Albuquerque firefighters accused of raping a woman nearly three years ago, and one of two to actually go on trial. He has been adamant that he was treated unfairly by Albuquerque Fire Rescue before his trial and wants damages, as well as his job back.Heyman was eventually fired by Albuquerque Fire Rescue after an internal investigation and was also sued by the victim. Court records show that lawsuit is still ongoing. However, Heyman, along with fellow accused firefighter Anthony Martin, were both acquitted on the rape charges two years later. Heyman’s attorney, Jason Bowles, said at the time, “Their careers have been ruined. Their lives have been ruined for two years, and their families have been affected. So, now, thank God they’re free, but now they have to rebuild it all back.”Last year, Heyman sued the city of Albuquerque and Fire Chief Emily Jaramillo, claiming defamation, wrongful termination, and violation of due process rights. That suit was dismissed by a district court judge just last month.Now, another suit has been filed, this time in federal court. It makes similar claims to the previous one, alleging Heyman’s termination from the department was wrongful since it happened before a trial or any admission of guilt. Chief Jaramillo is once again accused of defamation, claiming she branded Heyman as a criminal through public statements before the case went to trial. The suit is asking for back pay, damages for alleged civil rights violations, and even reinstatement at Albuquerque Fire Rescue.A spokesman for Albuquerque Fire Rescue said, “An internal investigation determined the employee violated AFR policies. The city will respond to his allegations in court.”Bowles declined to speak with KOAT about the lawsuit Wednesday.
Aden Heyman, a former Albuquerque firefighter who was acquitted of rape charges last year, is suing yet again for his job back and damages, claiming wrongful termination and defamation.
Heyman was one of three Albuquerque firefighters accused of raping a woman nearly three years ago, and one of two to actually go on trial. He has been adamant that he was treated unfairly by Albuquerque Fire Rescue before his trial and wants damages, as well as his job back.
Heyman was eventually fired by Albuquerque Fire Rescue after an internal investigation and was also sued by the victim. Court records show that lawsuit is still ongoing. However, Heyman, along with fellow accused firefighter Anthony Martin, were both acquitted on the rape charges two years later.
Heyman’s attorney, Jason Bowles, said at the time, “Their careers have been ruined. Their lives have been ruined for two years, and their families have been affected. So, now, thank God they’re free, but now they have to rebuild it all back.”
Last year, Heyman sued the city of Albuquerque and Fire Chief Emily Jaramillo, claiming defamation, wrongful termination, and violation of due process rights. That suit was dismissed by a district court judge just last month.
Now, another suit has been filed, this time in federal court. It makes similar claims to the previous one, alleging Heyman’s termination from the department was wrongful since it happened before a trial or any admission of guilt. Chief Jaramillo is once again accused of defamation, claiming she branded Heyman as a criminal through public statements before the case went to trial. The suit is asking for back pay, damages for alleged civil rights violations, and even reinstatement at Albuquerque Fire Rescue.
A spokesman for Albuquerque Fire Rescue said, “An internal investigation determined the employee violated AFR policies. The city will respond to his allegations in court.”
Bowles declined to speak with KOAT about the lawsuit Wednesday.
