Judge Calls Woolfork-Sangster Relationship “Very Volatile”
This video is no longer available.
JACKSON, Tenn. – Shelby County Judge Phyllis Gardner was animated and interjected several times during the almost six hour protection order hearing for Madison County Sheriff David Woolfork. After hearing from both Woolfork and Deputy Sharon Sangster, Judge Gardner granted the year-long order of protection. The judge called their relationship “very volatile” and she believes Woolfork does present a danger to Sangster. After the ruling, Sangster spoke to the media for the first time. When asked if she felt safe, she responded, “I don’t think I’ll ever feel safe. But at this time, I feel like I am protected.” During the hearing, their two-year affair was described in excruciating detail at times. Sangster took the stand first. She said she first met Woolfork when she applied for a job in 2011. She said their affair started quickly and she had almost daily contact with him. Sangster’s almost two and a half hour testimony included her account of the encounter on October 10, 2013 and another fight she called violent. Sangster told the court Woolfork started getting violent with her in February when she tried to end their relationship. Sangster said the most violent fight between the two of them came on March 30, 2013. She said he accused her of embarrassing him by dating other men. She recalled, “He was hitting me like a man.” Sangster said Woolfork then became apologetic and even sent her a love letter the next day. On Oct. 10, Sangster said Woolfork came to her house uninvited and made unwanted advances toward her. In her bedroom, she testified, “That’s when he swung me around and grabbed me and threw me on the bed.” She told the court she repeatedly begged him to stop. “That’s when he took his hand and put it down my shorts,” she testified. Sangster said she broke two fingernails fighting him off. Her defense team presented pictures of her broken nails and bruises to her arms that were taken Oct. 11. Responding officers, who later testified, said Sangster’s nails were “well manicured” and she showed no signs of being in a physical fight. Woolfork also painted a very different picture. He testified not only was it him who initiated the break up in March or April, but on the night of Oct. 10, Sangster asked him to come over. He told the court Sangster took his cell phones then locked herself in her house. Woolfork maintains he never touched Sangster than night or at any other time. Woolfork’s defense team argued Sangster was a jealous ex-girlfriend who harassed other women she thought were involved with the sheriff. When asked about other affairs, Woolfork testified he “doesn’t recall having sexual relationships with other women.” After the alleged incident on March 30, Sangster admitted to attending other events with the Sheriff, including his grandson’s graduation in Murfreesboro. Explicit text messages and accounts of jealousy between the two were not contested by Woolfork. Two messages sent to Sangster by Woolfork were read to the court. One, sent on May 3, referenced oral sex. The other, sent April 25, appeared to threaten Sangster with a transfer if she bothered his phones again. Woolfork admitted in 2012 to “talking to” a boyfriend of Sangster because he was jealous. But he maintained he did not threaten the man. Sangster’s attorneys called the protection order just the first legal hurdle for them. Sangster is filing a sexual harassment claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. There have been no criminal charges filed against Sheriff Woolfork. Jackson police met with a special prosecutor, Tuesday. Their investigation has not concluded.
