Lawsuit alleges Alabama attorney Douglass “Dough” Ghee promised legal help in exchange for sexually exploiting inmate

On Thursday, August 15, 2024, APNews reported that Alabama attorney and former senator Douglass “Dough” Ghee was accused in July of sexually abusing an imprisoned woman.

According to a lawsuit, Ghee, 78, met the 29-year-old woman while she was acting as her public defender at the Calhoun County Jail. The lawsuit alleges that during the meeting, which took place while the woman was handcuffed and shackled, Ghee promised to help her reduce her charges in exchange for her agreeing to be his “sex slave” and pay him $2,500.

It further states that five days later, Ghee is accused of groping and forcibly kissing the woman at another meeting before a prison guard intervened.

The lawsuit alleges that people incarcerated in Alabama prisons cannot consent to sexual contact. If convicted, Ghee could face charges of sexual assault, battery and other crimes. The case is still under investigation.

Ghee is a prominent attorney in the region and served as a senator from 1990 to 1998. A representative of his law firm said he chose not to comment when contacted by The Associated Press.

Source: APNews