CJ-2026-1161 - Jennepher Bristow v. Chuck Naifeh

What's This Case About?

Let’s cut right to the chase: a man allegedly choked his coworker unconscious in a barber shop—on Valentine’s Day—and then said, “I’m just joking around.” Yes, you read that right. Not a bar fight. Not a domestic dispute in a parking lot. This went down in a barber shop, of all places, where the most violent thing you’d expect is someone getting scissor-snippy over a bad fade. But instead, we’ve got a grown man allegedly grabbing, groping, choking, and lifting his colleague off the ground until she blacked out—in the middle of work, in front of a mirror, and possibly because he noticed she’d lost weight. Welcome to CrazyCivilCourt, where the stakes are low, the drama is high, and the human behavior is absolutely baffling.

So who are these people? Jennepher Bristow is a barber at Carwin’s Shave Shop in Nichols Hills, Oklahoma—a place that probably prides itself on hot lather, straight razors, and the kind of old-school charm where everyone knows your name and your preferred neck taper. Chuck Naifeh? Also a barber there. And apparently, also someone who thought workplace camaraderie included grabbing people by the waistband and asking, “What if I did this?” while lifting them off the floor. The two were coworkers, which means they likely shared clippers, clients, and small talk about sports or the weather—until, suddenly, they weren’t. The filing suggests they had some kind of friendly rapport before this incident. Which makes what happened next feel even more like a betrayal, like your gym buddy suddenly deciding to body-slam you during leg day and saying, “Relax, bro, it’s just a prank!”

Now, let’s walk through the very strange afternoon of February 14, 2025. Jennepher had just come back from lunch. She told her client—named Don Dame, which sounds like a character from a noir film—she’d be right back. Then Chuck followed her into her private barber room and shut the door. That should’ve been the first red flag. The second? He started yanking on her waistband and making comments about how she’d lost weight since having COVID. Okay, weird. Unwanted body commentary is never cool, especially at work, but fine—maybe he was trying (and failing) to pay a compliment. But then it escalated. He allegedly tried to put his hands down her pants and messed with her waist beads—personal, cultural items that are not public domain for coworker inspection. When she told him to stop and tried to leave, he grabbed her from behind in a chokehold, turned her toward the mirror, and tightened it when she said she didn’t like it. Oh, and he crushed her earrings into her neck. Because apparently, that’s the cherry on top of a workplace assault sundae.

At this point, Jennepher’s vision went white. She lost consciousness. She doesn’t remember how she ended up on the floor—only that she woke up there, disoriented, heart racing, and in full panic mode. And remember: she’d just been in the ER the week before for heart issues related to long-haul COVID. So not only was she being physically attacked, but she was doing it with a preexisting cardiac vulnerability. That’s like kicking someone with a broken leg and saying, “You’ll walk it off.” When she came to, Chuck was sitting next to her on the floor, asking if she was okay. She said she wasn’t. Multiple times. And yet—get this—he kept coming back into her workspace while she was trying to work on her client. The client himself had to tell Chuck to leave her alone. Let that sink in: the victim’s client had to step in and play bouncer. That’s not just inappropriate—it’s unhinged.

The aftermath? Jennepher didn’t even process what had happened until she got home. By then, the adrenaline had worn off, and reality hit like a bucket of cold aftershave. She had severe neck pain, couldn’t turn her head, had visible bruising, burst blood vessels in her neck, and broke out in hives. She went to the ER and was diagnosed with a cervical strain—fancy doctor talk for “your neck got messed up because someone choked you.” She’s on pain meds, scared to go back to work, and terrified of Chuck. And honestly? Can you blame her? You don’t just “get over” being choked unconscious by a coworker. That’s not something you laugh off at the next staff meeting.

So why are they in court? Jennepher’s suing Chuck for two big reasons: assault and battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Let’s break that down like we’re explaining it to a jury of your drunk uncles at Thanksgiving. “Assault and battery” in Oklahoma means someone intentionally touched you in a harmful or offensive way without your consent. That’s the chokehold, the groping, the lifting—basically, the entire horrifying sequence. The second claim, “intentional infliction of emotional distress,” is for when someone behaves so outrageously that it breaks your brain. Think screaming at a pregnant woman in public or, say, choking your coworker until she blacks out and then acting confused when she’s traumatized. The law says you can’t just do whatever you want and claim it was “all in good fun”—especially when the other person says no, multiple times, and then passes out.

What does Jennepher want? She’s asking for at least $75,000 in compensatory damages—money to cover her medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and the general nightmare of it all. Is that a lot? For a civil case like this? Honestly, it’s not outrageous. A single ER visit and ongoing pain management can easily top $20K. Therapy for trauma? Another $10K easy. Lost wages if she’s out of work? Add more. And that’s before you factor in the sheer violence of the act—being choked unconscious is not a slap on the wrist. She’s also asking for punitive damages, which aren’t about paying her back—they’re about punishing Chuck and saying, “Hey, society does not allow this nonsense.” That’s the legal equivalent of a timeout with consequences.

Now, our take? The most absurd part isn’t even the choking. It’s the excuse. “I’m just joking around.” That line is the Swiss Army knife of terrible behavior—pulled out whenever someone does something wildly inappropriate and hopes laughter will erase accountability. Did he think this was a Tom and Jerry cartoon? Did he expect her to pop back up, shake it off, and say, “Whew, Chuck, you got me good!”? This wasn’t a prank. It wasn’t a misunderstanding. It was a violent, escalating series of unwanted physical acts that ended with a woman unconscious on the floor of her workplace. And the fact that he admitted it to a coworker—another employee named Kit walked in and heard him confess—makes it even harder to swallow the “it was all fun and games” defense.

We’re not saying every awkward office interaction needs to end in court. But when someone loses consciousness because of you, and you’re messing with their pants and their personal items, and they have to be defended by their client—that’s not “joking around.” That’s assault. Full stop. And while we’re not here to declare guilt—that’s for a jury—we are here to say: if this is how you treat your coworkers, maybe don’t work in a room with sharp objects.

Jennepher Bristow just wanted to cut hair. Instead, she got attacked, traumatized, and medically injured—all while trying to do her job. So no, $75,000 isn’t too much. And no, “I was just joking” isn’t a get-out-of-jail-free card. This case isn’t just about money. It’s about making it clear that workplaces aren’t comedy clubs, and choking people isn’t a punchline.

Case Overview

$75,000 Demand Jury Trial Petition

Jurisdiction

District Court of Oklahoma County, Oklahoma

Filing Attorney

William R. Pierce

Relief Sought

$75,000 Monetary

$1 Punitive

Plaintiffs

Jennepher Bristow individual
Rep: William R. Pierce

Defendants

Chuck Naifeh individual

Claims

#	Cause of Action	Description
1	assault and battery	assault and battery in a workplace setting
2	intentional infliction of emotional distress	intentional infliction of emotional distress in a workplace setting

Petition Text

1,147 words

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF OKLAHOMA COUNTY STATE OF OKLAHOMA IN RE THE OF: JENNEPHER BRISTOW Petitioner, vs CHUCK NAIFEH, Respondent. FILED IN DISTRICT COURT OKLAHOMA COUNTY Case No. FEB 13 2026 RICK WARREN COURT CLERK PETITION CJ-2026-1161 COMES NOW the Plaintiff, Jennepher Bristow by and through her attorney, William R. Pierce, and for her causes of action against the Defendant, Chuck Naifeh, states as follows: PARTIES, JURISDICTION, AND VENUE 1. Plaintiff Jennepher Bristow is an individual residing in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. 2. Defendant Chuck Naifeh is an individual believed to reside in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, and may be served with process at his place of employment, Carwin's Shave Shop, 6411 Avondale Dr., Nichols Hills, OK 73116. or at such other address as may be determined. 3. This Court has subject matter jurisdiction over this action pursuant to 12 O.S. § 2001 et seq., as the claims arise under the common law of the State of Oklahoma for torts including assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The amount in controversy exceeds the jurisdictional minimum for this Court. 4. This Court has personal jurisdiction over the Defendant because the Defendant resides and/or conducts business in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, and the acts giving rise to this action occurred in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. 5. Venue is proper in Oklahoma County pursuant to 12 O.S. § 134, as the cause of action arose in this county and the Defendant may be found herein. FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS 6. On February 14, 2025, at approximately 2:00 p.m., Plaintiff was assaulted by Defendant at Carwin’s Shave Shop, located in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, where both parties were employed as coworkers. 7. Plaintiff had just returned from lunch and informed her client, Don Dame, that she would be right back to begin his appointment. Defendant followed Plaintiff into her barber room and shut the door behind him. 8. Defendant began grabbing at Plaintiff’s waistband, pulling it outward, and commenting on her weight loss since having COVID-19. Defendant attempted to put his hands down Plaintiff’s pants and interfered with her waist beads. 9. Plaintiff told Defendant to stop and stated that she needed to get her client. As Plaintiff went to open the door, Defendant grabbed her from behind in a choke hold and turned her toward the mirror. 10. Plaintiff told Defendant she did not like what he was doing. Defendant tightened the choke hold while yanking Plaintiff's neck and stated, "I am just joking around." Plaintiff told him she did not find it funny. 11. At the time, Plaintiff was wearing large earrings, which Defendant crushed into her neck as he pulled his arm tighter. Defendant then asked, "What if I did this?" and used his hip to lift Plaintiff off the ground. 12. While looking into the mirror, Plaintiff's vision turned white, and she lost consciousness. Plaintiff regained consciousness on the floor. She does not know how long she was unconscious or how she ended up there. 13. Defendant was next to Plaintiff on the floor asking if she was okay. Plaintiff repeatedly told him that she was not okay. Plaintiff entered a survival response; her heart was racing. She had been in the emergency room the previous Thursday for heart issues related to COVID-19. Plaintiff was disoriented and attempting to calm herself and understand what had occurred. 14. A coworker, Kit, heard the incident and entered the room. Defendant admitted to her what he had done. 15. Plaintiff left the room to retrieve her client. Defendant continued entering Plaintiff's work space, and her client told Defendant to leave her alone. 16. Plaintiff did not fully process the incident until she returned home. She was in shock that someone she believed to be a friend and coworker could assault her at her workplace while she was performing her job duties. 17. After the adrenaline subsided, Plaintiff experienced significant physical symptoms, including severe neck pain, inability to turn her head, visible bruising, and burst blood vessels in her neck that remain noticeable. She broke out in hives and experienced severe emotional distress, including inability to sleep or eat. 18. Plaintiff sought emergency medical care and was diagnosed with a cervical strain. She is currently under pain management. 19. This incident has left Plaintiff fearful and unable to perform her job without pain. She is afraid of Defendant and concerned about what he is capable of. 20. As a direct and proximate result of Defendant’s actions, Plaintiff has suffered physical injuries, emotional distress, medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages. FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION: ASSAULT AND BATTERY 21. Plaintiff re-alleges and incorporates by reference the allegations set forth in paragraphs 1 through 20 above. 22. Defendant intentionally and unlawfully touched Plaintiff in a harmful and offensive manner without her consent, including but not limited to grabbing her waistband, attempting to put his hands down her pants, interfering with her waist beads, placing her in a choke hold, yanking her neck, crushing her earrings into her neck, and lifting her off the ground, causing her to lose consciousness. 23. Defendant's actions constituted assault and battery under Oklahoma law. 24. As a direct and proximate result of Defendant's assault and battery, Plaintiff has suffered physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages in an amount to be proven at trial, but in excess of $75,000. 25. Defendant's actions were willful, wanton, and malicious, entitling Plaintiff to punitive damages pursuant to 23 O.S. § 9.1. SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION: INTENTIONAL INFLICTION OF EMOTIONAL DISTRESS 26. Plaintiff re-alleges and incorporates by reference the allegations set forth in paragraphs 1 through 25 above. 27. Defendant's conduct was extreme and outrageous, exceeding all bounds of decency tolerated by civilized society, including sexually assaultive touching and physical violence in a workplace setting against a coworker. 28. Defendant intentionally or recklessly caused severe emotional distress to Plaintiff, as evidenced by her shock, fear, hives, inability to sleep or eat, and ongoing anxiety. 29. As a direct and proximate result of Defendant's actions, Plaintiff has suffered severe emotional distress, along with related physical manifestations, in an amount to be proven at trial, but in excess of $75,000. 30. Defendant's actions were willful, wanton, and malicious, entitling Plaintiff to punitive damages pursuant to 23 O.S. § 9.1. PRAYER FOR RELIEF WHEREFORE, Plaintiff prays for judgment against Defendant as follows: a. Compensatory damages in an amount in excess of $75,000 for physical injuries, emotional distress, medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages; b. Punitive damages in an amount to be determined by the trier of fact; c. Pre-judgment and post-judgment interest as provided by law; d. Costs of this action, including reasonable attorney's fees if applicable; and e. Such other and further relief as the Court deems just and proper. DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL Plaintiff hereby demands a trial by jury on all issues so triable. Respectfully Submitted, William R. Pierce Attorney for Petitioner OBA #30678 3404 NW 135th St. Oklahoma City, OK 73120 T | 405-633-0064 E | [email protected] Statutory Verification 12 O. S. § 426 I state under penalty of perjury under the laws of Oklahoma that the foregoing is true and correct. Date and Place Signature of Plaintiff