Sexual abuse charge dropped
By Marty RoneyPRATTVILLE -- A procedural glitch is being blamed for dropping a sexual abuse charge Friday that was pending in Autauga County Circuit Court.
Calvin Coolidge Dison Jr., 52, of Montgomery faced the charge for allegedly abusing a female juvenile, according to court records. Dison was convicted several months ago in Montgomery on rape and sodomy charges. He is serving a 55-year sentence at Kilby Correctional Facility, said Brian Corbett, spokesman for the Alabama Department of Corrections.
The Autauga County case will be presented at the next session of the grand jury, which is set for February 2006, said District Attorney Randall Houston.
"The charge was dropped without talking with the victim's family," Houston said. "That is not our policy. I talked with the father of the victim today. He was upset, and that is very understandable. I told him I also have a teenage daughter, and I would be mad if something like this had happened to me."
There had been talk of dropping the Autauga County charge in the wake of the Montgomery County sentence, Houston said. The prosecutor wouldn't get into specifics about what took place.
"We did not follow office policy that requires informing the victim's family," he said. "I have talked with the staff in all three offices and have made sure this won't happen again. I take responsibility for what took place."
Houston represents the 19th Judicial Circuit, which includes Autauga, Chilton and Elmore counties. The victim's father told Houston his daughter is ready to testify and wants to see the case go forward.
"We have indicted on the charge already. It's a good case I think," he said. "We will present it to the next grand jury, and I feel we have a good chance at getting an indictment."
