(Lawsuit will move forward)…That was the ruling this week handed down by U.S. District Judge Thomas J. Whelan.

The Judge was acting on a petition to dismiss the suit originally filed in January. The suit was filed by Brawley Police Detective Kali Orff and her wife Michelle Kristoll, a County Sheriff’s Office investigator. It was filed against the City of Imperial, Imperial Police Department and former Imperial Police Chief Miguel Colon. The lawsuit alleges civil rights violations, false light and public disclosure of private facts. The suit seeks punitive damages. It also alleges failure to refer for prosecution the alleged sexual assault of Orff at an Imperial residence in January 2016. The action alleges former Chief Colon violated the couples civil rights and discriminated against them because of their sexual orientation