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Former lawmaker charged with assaulting inmate in Alabama prison

An Anniston attorney and former state senator is facing a lawsuit after a former client accused him of sexually abusing her and forcing her to be a “sex slave” while she was incarcerated at a local jail. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday, names Marshall “Doug” Ghee and his partners at Ghee, Draper & Alexander as defendants. It alleges that on July 12, Ghee, in his capacity as public defender, held a visitation at the Calhoun County Jail with then-inmate Justice King, who was shackled and handcuffed throughout the stay.>> FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeDuring the visit, Ghee allegedly told King he was “friends with the judge and the assistant district attorney assigned to her case” and promised he could use those relationships to get her a better deal if she hired him for $2,500 and “agreed to be his sex slave after her release.”Five days later, Ghee returned for a second visit. After the visit, Ghee allegedly grabbed King by the arms and kissed her as she walked toward the door.After she backed away, Ghee asked her if she was ready to return to her cell, to which she replied yes.Ghee then allegedly responded, “If you want to go home, you are not ready to end the visit,” before kissing her again, groping her breast and placing a hand around her neck.In what the lawsuit describes as a “heroic act,” a correctional officer then allegedly intervened by leading King out of the room and locking Ghee inside. >> WVTM 13 ON THE GO: Download our app for free. “Not all heroes wear a cape, but in this case, she is a hero,” King's attorney Anthony Coleman said of the unnamed officer in a statement Wednesday. “The egregious sexual harassment and other conduct of Defendant Ghee in this case was extreme and outrageous,” the lawsuit says. “Ms. King was already in a fragile state, facing a 15-year prison sentence. Defendant Ghee raised Ms. King's hopes of a lesser sentence, but demanded money and a commitment to become a sex slave upon release.” Ghee, an Anniston native and University of Alabama graduate, served as a state representative from 1990 to 1998 and chaired the Senate Education, Constitution and Elections and State Parks committees, his website says. He is accused of sexual assault, battery, extortion, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, false imprisonment and wantonness. Coleman says the lawsuit was filed to protect his client's rights and avoid further delays since she cannot file criminal charges due to her continued incarceration. He called on the court administration to “immediately appoint new judges in all relevant cases,” and said that all local judges had already recused themselves. “We want to make it clear to the guilty that they cannot run away from justice,” Coleman said. “We will step forward to hold them accountable.”

CALHOUN COUNTY, Alabama —

An Anniston lawyer and former state senator is facing a lawsuit after a former client accused him of sexually abusing her and forcing her to be a “sex slave” while she was incarcerated at a local jail.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday, names Marshall “Doug” Ghee and his partners at Ghee, Draper & Alexander as defendants.

It alleges that on July 12, Ghee, in his capacity as public defender, visited then-inmate Justice King in the Calhoun County Jail, who was shackled and handcuffed the entire time.

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During the visit, Ghee allegedly told King that he was “friends with the judge and assistant district attorney who were handling her case” and promised her that he could use those relationships to negotiate a better deal for her if she hired him for $2,500 and “agreed to be his sex slave after her release.”

Five days later, Ghee returned for a second visit. After the visit, Ghee allegedly grabbed King by the arms and kissed her as she walked to the door.

After she left, Ghee asked her if she was ready to return to her cell, to which she answered yes.

Ghee then allegedly replied, “If you want to go home, then you are not ready to end the visit,” before kissing her again, groping her breast and placing a hand around her neck.

In what the lawsuit calls an “act of heroism,” a correctional officer allegedly intervened, leading King out of the room and locking Ghee inside.

>> WVTM 13 ON THE GO: Download our app for free

“Not all heroes wear capes, but in this case she is a hero,” King's attorney Anthony Coleman said in a statement Wednesday about the unnamed officer.

“Defendant Ghee's egregious sexual harassment and other conduct in this case was extreme and egregious,” the lawsuit states. “Ms. King was already in a fragile state, facing a 15-year prison sentence. Defendant Ghee raised Ms. King's hopes of a lesser sentence, but only in exchange for monetary demands and a demand that she become a sex slave upon her release.”

Ghee, a native of Anniston and graduate of the University of Alabama, served in the state legislature from 1990 to 1998 and chaired the Senate committees on education, the constitution and elections, and state parks, according to his website.

He is accused of sexual assault, bodily harm, extortion, intentional infliction of mental suffering, negligence, deprivation of liberty and willful intent.

Coleman says the lawsuit was filed to protect his client's rights and prevent further delays since she cannot file criminal charges due to her continued detention.

He called on the court administration to “immediately appoint new judges for all relevant cases” and said that all local judges had already placed themselves on leave for bias.

“We want to make it clear to those guilty that they cannot escape justice,” Coleman said. “We will step forward to hold them accountable.”

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