Whisper
February 16th, 2012, 05:01 PM
http://i40.tinypic.com/1dh8y.jpg
Defendant Howard Dotson Jr, right, and his attorney Adrian Hoosier await the verdict
Dotson found Guilty of being on the Run for 11 Years
Oct 11, 2010
Howard Dotson Jr. the Boone County resident who was on the run for over 11 years eluding law enforcement faced a jury last week, and was found guilty.
Dotson, 61, was facing trial on a ninety-six count indictment on sexual assault charges when he disappeared on March 31st, 1998. Investigators searched Boone County and surrounding states to no avail.
Dotson disappeared and wasn’t found for over a decade.
In late 2009, a police officer in Grand Junction Colorado pulled over a motorist on suspicion of drunken driving. The driver turned out to be Howard Dotson, Jr..
He was extradited back to the Mountain State in December 2009 and has been in the Southwestern Regional Jail since then. After a couple of false starts, he faced trial last week on charges of felony failure to appear for trial.
The man’s defense was a basic one. Dotson claimed his initial defense attorney, appointed by the court, allegedly told him he should not return for trial. His attorney, Adrian Hoosier, said Dotson believed the advice of his attorney and began to look for work.
“He went west looking for work as an auto mechanic and a transmission repairman,” Hoosier told the jury.
The attorney claimed his client worked in several states, and even went to Mexico before ending up in Colorado, where he was finally apprehended. Hoosier asked the jury to consider that his client did not willfully evade justice, but that he felt he had just cause not to return to court. After that, Boone County Circuit Judge Will Thompson turned the case over to a jury.
Shortly after beginning deliberations, the jury came forward with a pair of questions regarding matters of law in the case. These were questions that began to concern some court watchers who began to believe that possibly, the jury had started to believe that Dotson actually believed he had no obligation to return for trial.
Just over one hour after receiving the case, the jury returned with a single verdict of guilty on felony failure to appear charges.
Dotson will return to court on Wednesday October 27th so his attorney may file any post trial motions and then again on Wednesday, November 10th, 2010 for sentencing. Dotson faces a prison sentence of up to five years.
Boone County Prosecuting Attorney Keith Randolph issued a statement thanking the jurors for their help in the case, saying, “We believe the jury handed down the correct verdict in Howard Dotson’s case,” Randolph said. “After all, Howard Dotson’s sister and witness testified that he “ran” prior to his March 31st 1998 trial date. “ He had a motive in that he faced trial on a ninety-six count felony indictment.
After he ran Dotson was not heard from again until November 2009 when he was arrested.
[..]http://booneexaminer.com/dotson-found-guilty-of-being-on-the-run-for-years-p674-1.htm
UPDATE: Sexual Abuse Suspect Sentenced to Minimum of 700 Years in Prison
Feb 16 2012
BOONE COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A man labeled as a sexual predator by a Boone County court learned his fate Wednesday.
In January, a jury found Howard Dotson guilty on 89 counts of sexually abusing and raping four girls under the age of 11.
A judge on Wednesday sentenced Dotson to a minimum of 700 years served consecutively behind bars.
Dotson stayed silent during the majority of his sentencing Wednesday afternoon.
"My physical scars will eventually heal, but my emotional scars I have for life," victim Ruth Gore said.
Dotson refused to look up as two of the women he abused took the stand.
"He beat our dog once with a bumper jack and killed it, just something else for him to put the fear in us," victim Jerri Trent said. However, Trent is no longer afraid.
"When I see him now, all I see is a weak, old, scared man. I want him to know that after all he put me through, I turned out to be a very strong, hard-headed and determined woman,” Trent said.
Dotson addressed the court only once.
"I believe that I was not given a fair chance to present anything here," Dotson said.
"It’s been a long day coming. Unfortunately it took 18 years to get here, but we got here. Our job is done," Boone County Prosecutor Keith Randolph said.
"All those years growing up he told us no one would ever believe us. If we ever tried he would kill us. But guess what? He was wrong," Trent said.
[...]http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/137214168.html
http://i39.tinypic.com/35m09bq.jpg
Wed during sentencing
Defendant Howard Dotson Jr, right, and his attorney Adrian Hoosier await the verdict
Dotson found Guilty of being on the Run for 11 Years
Oct 11, 2010
Howard Dotson Jr. the Boone County resident who was on the run for over 11 years eluding law enforcement faced a jury last week, and was found guilty.
Dotson, 61, was facing trial on a ninety-six count indictment on sexual assault charges when he disappeared on March 31st, 1998. Investigators searched Boone County and surrounding states to no avail.
Dotson disappeared and wasn’t found for over a decade.
In late 2009, a police officer in Grand Junction Colorado pulled over a motorist on suspicion of drunken driving. The driver turned out to be Howard Dotson, Jr..
He was extradited back to the Mountain State in December 2009 and has been in the Southwestern Regional Jail since then. After a couple of false starts, he faced trial last week on charges of felony failure to appear for trial.
The man’s defense was a basic one. Dotson claimed his initial defense attorney, appointed by the court, allegedly told him he should not return for trial. His attorney, Adrian Hoosier, said Dotson believed the advice of his attorney and began to look for work.
“He went west looking for work as an auto mechanic and a transmission repairman,” Hoosier told the jury.
The attorney claimed his client worked in several states, and even went to Mexico before ending up in Colorado, where he was finally apprehended. Hoosier asked the jury to consider that his client did not willfully evade justice, but that he felt he had just cause not to return to court. After that, Boone County Circuit Judge Will Thompson turned the case over to a jury.
Shortly after beginning deliberations, the jury came forward with a pair of questions regarding matters of law in the case. These were questions that began to concern some court watchers who began to believe that possibly, the jury had started to believe that Dotson actually believed he had no obligation to return for trial.
Just over one hour after receiving the case, the jury returned with a single verdict of guilty on felony failure to appear charges.
Dotson will return to court on Wednesday October 27th so his attorney may file any post trial motions and then again on Wednesday, November 10th, 2010 for sentencing. Dotson faces a prison sentence of up to five years.
Boone County Prosecuting Attorney Keith Randolph issued a statement thanking the jurors for their help in the case, saying, “We believe the jury handed down the correct verdict in Howard Dotson’s case,” Randolph said. “After all, Howard Dotson’s sister and witness testified that he “ran” prior to his March 31st 1998 trial date. “ He had a motive in that he faced trial on a ninety-six count felony indictment.
After he ran Dotson was not heard from again until November 2009 when he was arrested.
[..]http://booneexaminer.com/dotson-found-guilty-of-being-on-the-run-for-years-p674-1.htm
UPDATE: Sexual Abuse Suspect Sentenced to Minimum of 700 Years in Prison
Feb 16 2012
BOONE COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A man labeled as a sexual predator by a Boone County court learned his fate Wednesday.
In January, a jury found Howard Dotson guilty on 89 counts of sexually abusing and raping four girls under the age of 11.
A judge on Wednesday sentenced Dotson to a minimum of 700 years served consecutively behind bars.
Dotson stayed silent during the majority of his sentencing Wednesday afternoon.
"My physical scars will eventually heal, but my emotional scars I have for life," victim Ruth Gore said.
Dotson refused to look up as two of the women he abused took the stand.
"He beat our dog once with a bumper jack and killed it, just something else for him to put the fear in us," victim Jerri Trent said. However, Trent is no longer afraid.
"When I see him now, all I see is a weak, old, scared man. I want him to know that after all he put me through, I turned out to be a very strong, hard-headed and determined woman,” Trent said.
Dotson addressed the court only once.
"I believe that I was not given a fair chance to present anything here," Dotson said.
"It’s been a long day coming. Unfortunately it took 18 years to get here, but we got here. Our job is done," Boone County Prosecutor Keith Randolph said.
"All those years growing up he told us no one would ever believe us. If we ever tried he would kill us. But guess what? He was wrong," Trent said.
[...]http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/137214168.html
http://i39.tinypic.com/35m09bq.jpg
Wed during sentencing