The Latest: Indiana AG's lawyers praise no charges decision

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Latest on an investigation into allegations of groping made against Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill (all times local):

1:15 p.m.

Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill's private attorneys are praising the news that Hill won't face criminal charges for allegedly drunkenly groping four women.

Attorneys James Voyles and Jennifer Lukemeyer say in a statement that special prosecutor Daniel Sigler's investigation "exonerates and absolves Mr. Curtis Hill of any factual and legal criminal behavior."

Sigler said Tuesday he believes the allegations from a state lawmaker and three legislative staffers that Hill groped them at a March party in Indianapolis, but he concluded it would be too difficult to prove a case against Hill.

Hill's attorneys say he "will continue to serve the people of Indiana" in his elected post as attorney general.

Hill has denied the women's allegations and rejected calls from Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb and legislative leaders for him to resign.

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12:50 p.m.

Attorneys for a state lawmaker and three legislative staffers who say Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill drunkenly groped them at a party intend to file a civil suit against Hill.

The planned legal action was announced Tuesday after a special prosecutor said that Hill would not face criminal charges for his alleged actions.

Attorney Kimberly Jeselskis represents the four women, who accuse Hill of groping them at a March party. She and other attorneys for the women filed a tort claim Tuesday with the state of Indiana that's required before the state can be sued.

Jeselskis says the women plan to sue Hill, the state of Indiana and Indiana's attorney general's office and the claims they intend to pursue include assault, battery, defamation and false imprisonment.

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11:05 a.m.

A special prosecutor says he believes the claims of the four women who accused Indiana's attorney general of groping them at a party, but that he doesn't have sufficient evidence to prosecute.

In his review of the investigation into allegations against Curtis Hill stemming from an end-of-session event at an Indianapolis bar in March, Daniel Sigler said he "took the complaining witnesses claims as true and credible."

In the report released Tuesday, Sigler says he found the accusers' motives sincere and that he believed Hill, a Republican, had "touched them in a way that was inappropriate."

He says Hill hasn't denied the touching occurred, but that the attorney general said it was incidental in a crowded bar and "not intended to be disrespectful, sexual in nature or rude."

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10:40 a.m.

A special prosecutor says it would've been difficult to prove any criminal charges against Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill in the alleged drunken groping of a state lawmaker and three legislative staffers at a party in March.

Special prosecutor Daniel Sigler said Tuesday that he considered misdemeanor battery charges against Hill, but witnesses gave varying accounts of what happened in the Indianapolis bar.

Sigler says he believed Hill drank a "significant" amount of alcohol that night, but that prosecuting him would be tough because several weeks passed before the allegations were raised.

Sigler said he didn't see a benefit to a potentially long and expensive prosecution of the Republican attorney general.

Hill has denied the allegations and rejected calls to resign from Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb and legislative leaders.

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10:10 a.m.

Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill won't face criminal charges in the alleged drunken groping of a lawmaker and three legislative staffers at a party in March.

Special prosecutor Daniel Sigler announced his decision Tuesday morning, saying the investigation into the allegations against Hill, a Republican, is closed.

A confidential legislative memo leaked to the media alleges Hill groped the four women at the party in Indianapolis to mark the end of the legislative session. Three of the women later went public.

Hill has denied the allegations and rejected calls to resign from Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb and legislative leaders.

Sigler was appointed in July to review the state inspector general's findings from an investigation into the allegations against Hill and to determine whether he should be charged.

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8 a.m.

A special prosecutor who helped investigate allegations that Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill drunkenly groped a lawmaker and three legislative staffers is planning an announcement on that investigation.

A confidential legislative memo leaked to the media alleges Hill groped the four women in Indianapolis during a March party that marked the end of the legislative session. Three of the women later went public .

Hill has denied the allegations and rejected calls to resign from Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb and legislative leaders.

A Marion County judge appointed Fort Wayne attorney Daniel Sigler in July to review the state inspector general's findings in a probe of the allegations against Hill and to determine whether the Republican officeholder should face criminal charges.

Sigler has scheduled a Tuesday morning news conference in Indianapolis.