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Today marks the 1000th day of the incarceration of Florence attorney Edward Ray (Chip) Dillard. His trial is finally in progress, and the fast approaching verdict is anyone's guess.
Several who have been in attendance have stated the prosecution is not proving its case, but it's still relatively early in the trial. Human trafficking first, sex abuse and witness intimidation later. Are these the real reasons for Dillard's arrest?
On rare occasions, Dillard communicated with us about the cases of various clients. Others communicated to us about Dillard and his alleged drug use and smuggling into the Lauderdale County Detention Center.
It's certainly been documented that Dillard had arrests in both Georgia and here for being under the influence. Most feel good potions aren't cheap, and Dillard wouldn't have been the first attorney to provide clients with a little something extra while they were locked away. During this period, Dillard was assigned to defend one our perpetual bad boys who has now amazingly reformed...good for him.
However, at the time, this long-standing miscreant attempted to blackmail Dillard. Whatever happened, Chip spoke to the judge and managed to have himself taken off the case. Obviously many knew that Dillard had at least been accused of providing prisoners with drugs.
Drugs are certainly playing a part in the testimony of the six women who have accused Dillard and Tim Staggs of recruiting them to enter into a prostitution scheme, then forcing them to remain. Was this the impetus for prosecuting the wayward attorney?
It's been said online that all of Dillard's accusers were of age. Not true - at least one was underage when she was brought into the whole sordid scheme. Depending on how well she cleans up to testify, this won't look good for either man.
What were they thinking? No...what were they thinking with?
Tim Staggs?
Just WHO set up the prostitution ring? Testimony at trial is certainly different than what has been reported in the media. From the trial testimony, it was one of the "girls" who was doing the recruiting from jail, using Tim Staggs as a bail bondsman, and Tim Staggs hiring Dillard as their attorney. As you stated, more may be revealed, but so far the whiny jailhouse phonecalls from the "victims" to both Dillard and Staggs that have been played and the testimony given in court has proven the world's oldest profession was alive and well at the time in the Shoals and based out of the LCDC. Another question to consider...What WAS the reason the DA's office went so hard after these two marks???? Embarrassment that the county was running an escort service on the taxpayer dime?
ReplyDeleteAKH in the DA's office will go down with this one.
Delete"Ms. Hamilton is recognized as an expert in prosecution of Human Trafficking cases"
Maybe stepped over the line with this one!
I hear it's complete BS fabricated by a person or persons in the Lauderdale County DA's office.
ReplyDeleteWhat axe do they have to grind? Why ruin someone over a victimless crime? OK, I don't profess to know all the facts, but I know this punishment doesn't fit the alleged crime!