Former Philadelphia police officer accused of sexual assault

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - A woman made a disturbing claim against a Philadelphia police officer. She says that an officer sexually assaulted her and made racist comments.

His name is Thomas J. O'Neill and tonight he is the former city cop accused in a lawsuit of sexually assaulting a mentally ill woman and spewing racist hate.

O'Neill is in his early 50's. Philadelphia police say he worked out of the Second Police District in the Northeast until his September 30, 2016 retirement.

His retirement came came just short of 3 months after his alleged victim told police of the sexual assault which she claims began along Castor Avenue on July 3 of last year.

Gregg Zeff is her attorney.

"He then had her touch his gun and rubs the gun on her inner thigh," Zeff told FOX 29.

The police department's spokesman confirms to FOX 29, O'Neill was investigated by Internal Affairs, but due to the pending lawsuit the spokesman will not say what investigators found.

Attorney Zeff says police investigators told him they would "take O'Neill down." He says police obtained video from a security camera which captures the alleged assault behind a city school. Zeff claims O'Neill in uniform and his cruiser can be seen.

"It's grainy but you can certainly see the sex assault going outside of the vehicle.

The suit also alleges O'Neill spoke of "fantasizing about beating, raping and shooting a (N-word) in the head."

The City Law Department which will defend the suit--including O'Neill--had no comment.

According to the Philadelphia Board of Pensions, Thomas J. O'Neill receives a pension payment of $3,100 monthly--just over $2,000 go to him. The remainder to what the city calls an "alternate payee"--likely a divorced spouse.

Thomas J. O'Neill has not been charged. A spokesman for the district attorney declined to comment. There is another retired city cop named Thomas K. O'Neill. He's a deputy sheriff outside the city and is not involved in this case.