Deputy involved in controversial search says drugs were inside suspect's vagina

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (FOX 26) - It is a dash cam video that's drawn millions of eyes across the country - Charnesia Corley stripped naked, body slammed and allegedly probed in her most private anatomical openings after a routine traffic stop in 2015.

The lingering question - How could treatment so clearly in violation of the woman's rights fail to draw criminal prosecution?

Despite the video depicting Corley's legs spread and pinned with female officers reaching between them, the Harris County deputies involved, claim the 21-year-old woman's body cavities were never penetrated.

And yet FOX 26 has gained access to an HCSO Internal Affairs affidavit in which Deputy Rachel Riojas states.

"I am certain the (marijuana) blunt was removed from inside her vagina" adding "the blunt was protruding out of the defendant's labia significantly."

Sam Cammack is Corley's attorney.

"They knew they were supposed to abide by the Fourth Amendment against unreasonable searches and seizures and they disregarded it. This is their own sworn statement to their own supervising officers at the internal affairs division," said Cammack adding, "What the District Attorney's office and the sheriff's department is suggesting to the public is don't believe your lying eyes when you look at the video, don't believe what you see."

Attorney Cammack says in the days before District Attorney Kim Ogg dismissed criminal indictments against the officers, prosecutors threatened to charge Corley with perjury, alleging she purposely told a Grand Jury she was pregnant at the time of the search when she wasn't.

Fox 26 legal analyst Chris Tritico believes the unusual tactic of going after a victim is likely connected to Corley's multimillion dollar civil rights lawsuit, currently before a federal court.

"Intimidation is the only thing that comes to mind for me. We are going to do everything we can to intimidate this young lady into dropping this lawsuit or getting in a better position in the lawsuit. There is no other reason that they would threaten to prosecute this young lady for perjury on what they know is a completely immaterial issue to the main case," said Tritico.

Fox 26 has confirmed that Harris County prosecutors and Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan have exchanged information and evidence involving the Corley case.

It is Ryan who will defend Harris County taxpayers in federal court against Corley's civil rights complaint.