🌱 Child Molester Released Due To Error + Police Mislabel Rape Cases

Hello, neighbors! I'm back in your inbox this morning with your new copy of the Dallas-Hiram Patch newsletter. Let's get this weekend started off right with a quick review of the most important things happening in town these days, including updates on:

• Convicted child molester released due to a significant mistake in the legal proceedings
• Georgia lawmakers propose bill to create innovative districts around HBCUs
• Dallas police mislabeling of rape cases inflated solved rates

But first, today's weather: Saturday should be cloudy with a chance of p.m. showers. High: 64 Low: 56. Sunday is expected to be cloudy. High: 69 Low: 59

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Here are the top stories today in Dallas-Hiram:

1. Logan Alan Bowman was convicted of child molestation and incest in 2014, but his conviction was overturned because the jury was never sworn in, which violated Georgia law. The state's Supreme Court upheld the decision, noting that the administration of the jury oath is an "indispensable prerequisite to a legally valid jury trial." Bowman was freed in March 2020 after serving 6.5 years in custody, and he won a motion for discharge and acquittal on speedy trial grounds. Bowman's lawyers insisted that another trial would violate the speedy trial demand, and the state's Supreme Court agreed. (WSB Radio)
2. Coming soon to the Dallas Theater, the Main Street Teens are back with a stage adaptation of the classic tale, "The Wizard of Oz," loved by all. This delightful adaptation follows the beloved story of young Dorothy Gale as she travels from Kansas to the magical Land of Oz, featuring the iconic musical score from the MGM film. The Main Street Teens present a timeless tale that continues to thrill audiences worldwide with this must-see production. Follow the yellow brick road and experience the magic of "The Wizard of Oz" with the Main Street Teens. (Dallas Theater)
3. A new bill with bipartisan support in Georgia aims to create "prosperity planning districts" around the state's 10 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to leverage their resources to support innovation, technology, entrepreneurship and modernize the campuses and surrounding communities. The bill, introduced by state Sen. Sonya Halpern, proposes an 11-member commission to research the needs of communities around HBCUs and recommend economic development measures around those campuses. The proposal has gained support from Republican cosponsors including Sens. Jason Anavitarte of Dallas, Brandon Beach of Alpharetta, and Billy Hickman of Statesboro. If passed, the prosperity planning districts around Georgia's HBCUs would likely be the first of their kind in the country, potentially benefiting both the colleges and their surrounding communities through housing and broadband upgrades. (Capital Beat)
4. Christian Parks reported her sexual assault case to Dallas, Georgia Police when she was 19 years old, but the police department closed her case citing lack of evidence. However, Parks later found out that her case was marked as "exceptionally cleared," which is only used when police know the identity and location of the suspect but can't arrest them for reasons beyond their control. Parks' case did not qualify for exceptional clearance, but it was used by the police anyway. This misuse of exceptional clearance is a common problem across the state, according to an investigation by 11Alive news. The mislabeling gives the appearance that rape cases are being solved at a higher rate than they actually are. The Dallas Police department admitted its mistake and changed the label of all four of their exceptionally cleared rape and sexual assault cases reported in 2021 to "inactive." (11Alive.com WXIA)

Today in or near Dallas-Hiram:

• Trail Work Volunteer Day #1 — Pickett's Mill Battlefield (9:00 AM)
• Mardi Gras Open House — Atlanta Harley Davidson in Austell (11:00 AM - 3:00 PM)
• Life Skills 101 — College Exploration (2:00 PM)
• A Night of Spoken Word & Talking Food II — Hiram Rosenwald School Museum (6:00 PM)
• Georgia Elite Wrestling — American Legion Post 216 in Austell (6:30 PM)
• The Fabulous Spankadelics — Full Throttle Roadhouse in Mableton (8:00 PM)
• Karaoke with DJ Diff"Rent" — Reid's Deli in Mableton (9:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Paulding County School District: East Paulding HS DECA, along with other CTSOs, attended the CTSO Legislative Expo at the Capital and received the GA CTSO proclamation, met Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, and were recognized in the gallery by State Representative Joseph Gullett. Additionally, they were able to talk to Sen. Jason Anavitarte before he returned to the Senate Chambers. (Paulding County School District via Facebook)
• City of Dallas, Georgia – Government: Stay up to date with events happening in the City of Dallas with this calendar. (City of Dallas, Georgia – Government via Facebook)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, Ballentine Pointe: Couture Throne Seating rentals, servicing Hiram and all of Georgia — 678-218-9747 call Trina for more info. (Nextdoor)

You're all caught up for the weekend. I'll catch up with you bright and early Monday with your next update!

— Linda Marlow

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Dallas-Hiram Patch newsletter? Contact me at Dallas-Hiram@Patch.com