Case 157
The Strip Search Scam
*** Content Warning: sexual assault ***
The evening of April 9, 2004, started as a regular, uneventful shift for employees at a McDonald’s restaurant in Mount Washington, Kentucky. Until 4:56 PM, when the phone rang and the man on the other line introduced himself as Officer Scott.
According to Officer Scott, a customer had reported having their purse stolen by one of the staff members. He described the employee as a young, petite white woman with dark hair. Management identified the woman in question and called her into the back office, where Officer Scott orders her to undergo a strip search.
CREDITS
EPISODE:
Research & writing – Erin Munro
Creative direction – Milly Raso
Narration – Anonymous Host
MUSIC:
‘Flatline intro’ and ‘Come play with me’ intro and outro – www.dl-sounds.com
Audio production – Mike Migas
Scoring – Mike Migas and Andrew Joslyn
OTHER:
Logo and website design – Paulina Szymanska
PREMIUM
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RESOURCES
ONLINE ARTICLES
A hoax most cruel – The Courier-Journal
Restaurant shift turns into nightmare – ABC News
Strip-Search Case Victim Awarded $6.1 Million – ABC News
ARCHIVED ARTICLES
Caller nabbed? – The Paducah Sun
Strip-search prank suspect held – The Salt Lake Tribune
Man pleads guilty in hoax case – The Courier-Journal
Hoax victim now opposes plea deal – The Courier-Journal
Man tells hoax victim he’s sorry – The Courier-Journal
Bullitt man pleads guilty in strip-search case – The Courier-Journal
Woman gets probation in Bullitt case – The Courier-Journal
Hoax leads to nationwide search for mysterious caller – The Messenger-Inquirer
Bullitt strip search trial set – The Courier-Journal
Trial begins in case involving strip search at McDonald’s – The Courier-Journal
Hoax victim says she was too scared to flee – The Courier-Journal
Calling card’s link to suspect in Bullitt hoax disputed in testimony – The Courier-Journal
Defense argues hoax call was scam – The Courier-Journal
Jury clears hoax case defendant – The Courier-Journal
Selection of jurors starts in strip case – The Courier-Journal
Strip-search case to begin; $200 million at stake – The Courier-Journal
Lawyer says McDonald’s did all it could to warn workers of sex hoax – The Courier-Journal
Witness: Hoaxer began small, escalated demands – The Courier-Journal
McDonald’s lawyer: Hoax warning inadequate – The Courier-Journal
Strip-search hoax victim testifies on McDonald’s assault – The Courier-Journal
Witness thought of suicide after hoax – The Courier-Journal
McDonald’s witness says hoax victim has mostly recovered after her trauma – The Courier-Journal
McDonald’s official testifies he wasn’t told of previous hoaxes – The Courier-Journal
Defense expert: Hoax helped victim grow – The Courier-Journal
Jury returns to deliberations in McDonald’s strip search case – The Advocate-Messenger
O. gets $6.1 million in strip-search lawsuit – The Courier-Journal
Jury argued over award total, forewoman says – The Courier-Journal
Jury award upheld for victim of strip search – The Courier-Journal
McDonald’s and O. settle strip-search suit – The Courier-Journal
COURT DOCUMENTS
McDonald’s Corporation v L. O., Donna J. Summers and Kim Dockery
PODCASTS
The Prank Call part 1 – Pretend
The Prank Call part 2 – Pretend
VIDEOS
Primetime segment – ABC News