Tea’s Former Chief of Police Named in WY Lawsuit

TEA, S.D. (AP) - The former police chief of Tea who unexpectedly resigned last week is facing a lawsuit in Wyoming.

KELO-TV reports that Brian Ketterhagen is one of three officers being sued in Wyoming by a man who was wrongfully convicted of murder.

The lawsuit claims Ketterhagen, as captain of the Sublette County Sheriff's Office, withheld evidence in the case of Troy Willoughby, who was wrongfully convicted two years ago for a 1984 murder.  Willoughby's conviction was overturned after it was revealed that authorities had failed to disclose a police report to Willoughby's attorneys that included an alibi.

Willoughby was granted a new trial and a jury acquitted him earlier this year.

Ketterhagen resigned from the Tea police force last week.

A phone number for Ketterhagen could not immediately be located.

Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Material may not be redistributed.