Atlanta

Judge adds new charge against man accused in Opera nightclub sex assault

ATLANTA — The man accused of sexually assaulting a woman inside a popular Midtown nightclub is now facing a new rape charge.

Channel 2's Tyisha Fernandes was at the Fulton County Magistrate Court, where a judge added the charge against Dominique Williams.

Opera Nightclub Hearing

The man accused of sexually assaulting a woman on Facebook Live in Opera nightclub is facing a judge this morning for his preliminary hearing - 2wsb.tv/2GDdPRQ

Posted by WSB-TV on Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Williams was allegedly involved in a rape that happened in September 2018. The 34-year-old will now face a grand jury on the combined charges.

[RELATED: More alleged victims come forward after arrest in Opera nightclub assault]

The judge based the new charge on the testimony of an Atlanta detective working the case.

Defense attorney Shequel Ross did not know a second woman came forward with another assault claim and was surprised the judge allowed it.

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Detective Katie Riester said there are two more videos, one from a witness in the club and a second from the club's surveillance cameras.

"The video then reiterated her saying, 'Stop, please, don’t do this to me.' Then the surveillance camera shows them walking out a short time later," Riester said.

Ross says Williams did not assault anyone inside the Opera nightclub and several witnesses are ready to come forward for them.

None of those witnesses have spoken to Atlanta police yet, including Aris Reeves, who took the stand Wednesday.

"I wanted to come forward because I seen everything that went on, and I didn’t want anyone to be slandered because this is a very serious accusation," Reeves said.

The grand jury will hear both cases and decide whether to indict Williams.

BACKGROUND:

The Atlanta Police Department received calls from people who had seen the assault on a Facebook Live video Jan. 19.

Police arrested Williams after he turned himself in to police Jan. 29.

After this case made local and national news, another woman came forward saying Williams drugged and raped her when she went on a date with him in September.

Jasmine Eiland spoke publicly for the first time during a news conference Tuesday and announced she filed a lawsuit. The suit claims the club did not have adequate security the night of the attack.

Eiland was celebrating her birthday and was already streaming on Facebook Live when she said she was attacked.