by Bill Rankin and Steve Visser from the Atlanta Journal Constitution:
A state Court of Appeals judge has come under fire from Fayette County prosecutors for ordering a new trial for a man convicted of raping a woman with Down syndrome.
Judge Christopher McFadden overturned the jury’s guilty verdicts against William Jeffrey Dumas, who was convicted of repeatedly raping the 24-year-old woman on Oct. 18, 2010.
McFadden issued the ruling on a request for new trial after he had sentenced Dumas to 25 years in prison for the alleged assault. At the time, McFadden had been allowed to take leave of his appellate court duties and preside temporarily as a Superior Court judge in Fayette County.
Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard, who prosecuted the case, said Wednesday he received the news of McFadden’s order with “disgust.”
“I had to go visit the Down syndrome woman who was the victim of the rape and tell her that even though a jury had convicted her assailant of the crime, the judge was giving the guy a new trial,” Ballard said. “Her parents were, as you can image, outraged. … I just hope we can get some justice.”
A state Court of Appeals judge has come under fire from Fayette County prosecutors for ordering a new trial for a man convicted of raping a woman with Down syndrome.
Judge Christopher McFadden overturned the jury’s guilty verdicts against William Jeffrey Dumas, who was convicted of repeatedly raping the 24-year-old woman on Oct. 18, 2010.
McFadden issued the ruling on a request for new trial after he had sentenced Dumas to 25 years in prison for the alleged assault. At the time, McFadden had been allowed to take leave of his appellate court duties and preside temporarily as a Superior Court judge in Fayette County.
Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard, who prosecuted the case, said Wednesday he received the news of McFadden’s order with “disgust.”
“I had to go visit the Down syndrome woman who was the victim of the rape and tell her that even though a jury had convicted her assailant of the crime, the judge was giving the guy a new trial,” Ballard said. “Her parents were, as you can image, outraged. … I just hope we can get some justice.”
