A former Ellsworth Air Force Base sergeant is preparing to sue the city of Rapid City over the police department's role in her discharge from the military earlier this year.

Attorneys for Jene Newsome, now of Fairbanks, Alaska, sent a notice of claim of injury to the city Sept. 10, which notified the city of her intention to file a lawsuit under state law. Newsome was honorably discharged in January under the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy after base officials were forwarded a Rapid City police report on the arrest of a woman who was identified as Newsome's spouse.

Rapid City attorney Jeffrey Fransen, who along with Patrick Duffy is representing Newsome, said the notice of claim was done in order to preserve all potential legal claims Newsome may have against the city. In the future suit, they said they plan to seek monetary damages from the city for lost wages as well as retirement benefits.

"Given the city of Rapid City's unwillingness to acknowledge the wrongful and unlawful acts done by Officer (Jeremy) Stauffacher, (Det. Tom) Garinger and other members of the police department, we have no choice but to file a lawsuit against the city of Rapid City in federal court," Fransen said.