P. O. Box 211 Double Springs, AL  35553 Phone:  (205) 489-2235 Facsimile:  (205) 489-5660

Office of District Attorney – 25th Judicial Circuit

News Release To:        Media Outlets From:    Office of District Attorney, 25th Judicial Circuit Date:     6/28/2006 Re:        State of Alabama vs. James Marcus Dickinson For Immediate Release:

June 28, 2006 sentencing information will be available later today

 

On Wednesday, June 28, 2006, James Marcus “Mark” Dickinson (age 48) of Lynn appeared in the Circuit Court of Winston County to be sentenced on eleven (11) counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, one (1) count of Rape in the First Degree, and one (1) count of Rape in the Second Degree.  The Honorable John Bentley sentenced Dickinson to 10 years on each of the Sexual Abuse convictions; to 20 years on the Second-Degree Rape conviction; and to Life on the First-Degree Rape conviction.  All of the sentences were ordered to run consecutively (one after the other).  In addition to the prison sentences, Dickinson was ordered to pay restitution and a fine of $50,000.  The convictions followed a two-day jury trial in May.

The testimony during the trial showed that a five-year-old child had been molested by Dickinson on at least eight occasions.  It was also revealed that five (5) other female relatives of Dickinson had been molested by him over a period spanning approximately 30 years.

Deputy District Attorney Neal Cook, who prosecuted Dickinson, had the following comment after the sentencing:  “The court’s sentence was clearly justified.  This case had the worst set of facts of any child molestation case I’ve personally dealt with in my eleven years as a prosecutor.  I want to give special recognition to the school officials who reported the case to DHR.  While their reporting was required by law, the amount of care they gave to the child and the super job they did in documenting the report went well above their call of duty.  The citizens of Winston County can be proud of the effort they gave to protect this victim of child sexual abuse.  We, as a community, must stand together to fight this evil.”

Dickinson’s brother, Jimmy Wayne Dickinson, awaits trial on related charges.  The next session of jury court will be held in October.