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The Robbie Harvey
December 24, 2025 at 10:20AM
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The parents of Jesse Butler, a former Stillwater High School student have filed a federal lawsuit alleging that school and city officials failed to protect their daughter after she reported repeated sexual assaults by fellow student Jesse Butler. The suit, filed just yesterday on December 23, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, claims violations of Title IX, civil rights infringements, negligence, emotional distress, and assault and battery.
Amber and Tyler Selvey, the plaintiffs acting on behalf of their daughter--who is described in court documents as deaf or hard of hearing and having an Individualized Education Plan--allege that the assaults began when she was a student at Stillwater High. According to the complaint, the victim reported the incidents to a school assistant principal on September 12, 2024, and was subsequently interviewed by a school resource officer. Despite this, the lawsuit claims no meaningful investigation occurred, and no immediate safety protocols were implemented to shield her from further harm.
The defendants named in the suit include Stillwater Public Schools, the City of Stillwater, Jesse Butler himself, his parents Jacque and Mack Butler, school resource officer Paul Blankinship, and Stillwater High School principal Walter Howell. Mack Butler, who served as an assistant athletic director for the school district and has ties to Oklahoma State University's football program as the son of a former OSU football director, is accused of using his position to harass and intimidate the victim on campus and influence the handling of the case. The suit alleges that an Emergency Protective Order (EPO) was filed against Jesse Butler on September 26, 2024, but was not entered into the school's internal database, leaving staff unaware and allowing alleged violations of the order at school events without intervention.
Several weeks ago I requested electronic communications from Mack Butler via a Freedom of Information Request. The school district quoted me over $25,000 for the files.
Jesse Butler, now 18, pled no contest to multiple charges of rape and assault involving two high school students, including the Selveys' daughter. Initially facing up to 78 years in prison on nine felony counts, Butler was granted youthful offender status, avoiding jail time entirely. Instead, he must complete a rehabilitation plan that includes community service and counseling. This decision has drawn widespread criticism, with accusations of favoritism due to his family's connections in the community and athletics.
A few weeks ago District Attorney Laura Thomas defended her decision, and the plea deal, in a public statement released by her office. But according to the victims families they were never consulted by the DA on the plea deal.
A motion was filed a few weeks ago by Rachel Bussett, the attorney for one of the victims, invoking Marsy's Law - an Oklahoma constitutional amendment that guarantees crime victims the right to be notified, confer with prosecutors, and object to plea deals. The motion also references the Oklahoma Victim's Rights Act, arguing that District Attorney Laura Thomas failed to advise or involve the victims and their families before finalizing the agreement.
According to the motion, the victim's mother was initially told by the DA's office that Butler would plead guilty and serve time in a juvenile facility in exchange for youthful offender status. However, in August, the families learned there would be no guilty plea, and the defense refused to recommend one. Despite objections from the families, who insisted on imprisonment, Thomas proceeded with the deal on August 25.
Now the new federal lawsuit seeks damages exceeding $75,000 per claim, plus punitive damages, attorney fees, and costs, arguing that the defendants' inaction deprived the victim of educational opportunities and caused lasting physical and emotional trauma.
A spokesperson for Stillwater Public Schools declined to comment, citing potential litigation. read more