LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The woman accused of killing her 5-year-old son, putting his body in a suitcase and dumping him in southern Indiana said her case is being mishandled and is asking for a special judge.
In a lawsuit filed last weekagainst Washington County Clerk Stephanie Rockey, Dejaune Anderson claims the clerk continually committed fraud, accusing her of withholding court documents.
The lawsuit also accuses Rockey of forging an arrest warrant and not filing the warrant publicly until after she was arrested more than a year later, therefore, she said she didn't know there was a warrant out for her arrest. Court documents show Rockey was served in person at the clerk's office.
Despite being accused of killing her son, 5-year-old Cairo Jordan, Anderson maintains her innocence, and said there are people who need her love, protection and safeguard right now.
Additional hand-written documents Anderson filed Monday ask for the state to pay her a total of $31 million in damages and losses, $63,000 for her apartment, including $20,000 for an oriental cat that was a special breed with six toes.
She's also asking for the cost of the future medical treatment she claims she's going to need because of the "cruel and unusual punishment she's experiencing" in jail.
Andersonwasarrestedin Arcadia, California, — outside Los Angeles— on a murder warrant in March after being on the run for almost two years.
Since her first court appearance two months ago where she declared her name was "princess" and that she was "representing the entity" of Anderson, she has been fighting to represent herself.
In addition to the murder charge for her son, Cairo Jordan, she was also charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death and obstruction of justice.
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In April,Washington County Circuit Judge Larry Medlockasked for a mental evaluation of Andersonto determine her competency to stand trial on those charges. That order came after Anderson'sstrange first court appearance on April 2, where she made some bizarre comments to Medlock, including a claim she's under federal surveillance. She also gave an alias to the judge, said she wants to represent herself in the case, and said a Space Force military detail has been following her everywhere she goes.
A forensic psychologist, who has no connection to the case and wasn't asked for an evaluation by the court, watched the hearing and said Anderson didn't appear to be grounded in reality.
"She's not referring to herself as 'I,'"Dr. Lauren Kaplan, who specializes in court psychology, told WDRB in April. "She's referring to herself as an ethereal body which makes me wonder if she has potentially been in a cult. That language or if she doesn't seem necessarily grounded in reality."
Anderson is the second woman charged in her son's murder. Dawn Coleman pleaded guilty in November 2023. She's serving a 30 year sentence.
The court documents that have been filed were all written by Anderson on a legal pad while she remains in the Washington County Detention Center.
Rockey wouldn't comment on the pending lawsuit. Anderson is expected to be back in court for a pre-trial hearing later this month.
Previous Coverage:
- Southern Indiana community remembers 5-year-old found dead in suitcase 2 years ago
- Psych exams ordered for mother of boy found dead in suitcase in southern Indiana
- Mother of boy found dead in suitcase in southern Indiana tells judge she's been tracked by the Space Force
- Mother of 5-year-old found dead in suitcase in southern Indiana arrested after nearly 2 years on the run
- Indiana community that rallied around boy found in suitcase grateful for justice after mother's arrest
- Woman convicted in death of 5-year-old found in suitcase in southern Indiana learns her sentence
- Woman charged in death of 5-year-old boy found in suitcase in southern Indiana pleads guilty
- Police say mother murdered 5-year-old boy found dead in suitcase in southern Indiana
- State police plan to release new details in case of 5-year-old boy found dead in suitcase in southern Indiana
- 3 months after boy found in suitcase in Indiana, hard questions remain
- 'Happy tears' | Salem community has been waiting for an arrest in 5-year-old's death
- Southern Indiana community holds vigil for 5-year-old boy found in a suitcase
- ISP says search for identity of 5-year-old boy found in suitcase is 'getting bigger by the day'
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