A Louisville woman endured nearly three hours of brutal physical abuse from a man she had a protective order against, despite neighbors’ 911 calls alerting police to the attack, a lawsuit filed in Jefferson Circuit Court claims. The incident took place on Jan. 12, 2024, and has called into questions the city’s emergency response to domestic violence.
According to the lawsuit and a Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) report, neighbors called 911 at 6:12 p.m. after hearing aggressive yelling, slamming and thumping sounds from an apartment. The neighbors expressed concerns that domestic violence was occurring and were reportedly told officers would be dispatched immediately.
However, no officers arrived at the scene until after 9 p.m., the lawsuit alleges. During this time, the woman, identified as Donna Stukenborg, was subjected to a violent assault in her apartment. The lawsuit accuses LMPD officers and MetroSafe emergency dispatchers of failing to follow mandatory protocols for domestic violence cases, leading to life-threatening injuries for Stukenborg.
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Court documents state that Stukenborg arrived home from work to find her ex-boyfriend, Richard Scott Gregory of Jeffersonville, Indiana, acting aggressively. During the three-hour ordeal, Gregory allegedly:
- Threatened to kill her and prevented her from leaving or calling for help.
- Menaced her with tools, including pliers, a hammer, and a large knife.
- Stabbed a knife into her kitchen table and covered her nose and mouth, preventing her from breathing.
- Struck her repeatedly in the face, causing fractures, a brain bleed, and lasting injuries requiring surgeries.
When officers eventually arrived and knocked on the door, Stukenborg ran out with visible injuries, including a swollen eye, active bleeding, and facial fractures. She was hospitalized for her injuries, which doctors described as life-threatening.
Gregory was arrested the following evening and charged with multiple felonies, including assault, strangulation, kidnapping and violating a protective order.
The lawsuit alleges that MetroSafe logs indicate LMPD was notified of the 911 call within 30 seconds. Despite this, the call was cleared within minutes, and no officers were dispatched for nearly three hours. The incident highlights ongoing issues with LMPD’s handling of domestic violence, which were also cited in a 2023 U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) report. The DOJ identified “deficiencies in LMPD’s response to and investigation of domestic violence and sexual assault.”
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Stukenborg’s attorney, David Barber, described the case as a “complete systemic failure” and called for changes in how the city handles domestic violence cases. The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages from LMPD and MetroSafe.
Domestic violence is a widespread issue in Kentucky, with 44.5% of women and 32.9% of men experiencing intimate partner violence in their lifetimes, according to recent reports. Resources like Louisville’s Center for Women and Families and the Kentucky Safe at Home program provide support for survivors. The center’s 24-hour crisis line is available at 1-844-237-2331.
This article appears in Jan 17-30, 2025.
