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Rapist convicted 2 years after judge grants him new trial

FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga. — A Fayette County man was convicted Tuesday for raping a woman with Down syndrome following a controversial move to overturn his previous conviction in 2012 for the same crime.
 
William Jeffrey Dumas will serve 25 years prison and spend the rest of his life on probation, according to Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard.
 
Dumas was first convicted in 2012 on three counts of rape, but that conviction was overturned, despite DNA evidence and injuries to the victim, when Judge Christopher McFadden ordered a new trial for Dumas.
 
McFadden raised questions about how the victim spent time with Dumas the day after he raped her. McFadden also wrote that Dumas did not "behave like someone who had recently perpetrated a series of violent crimes against her."
 
The victim was 24 years old when she reported being raped in October 2010 at a house in Fayetteville. She testified in both cases.
 
"It's been horrible," said Vicki Bailey, the victim's mother. "My daughter had to go through this mentally again and it was like it was happening all over for her."
 
Bailey says McFadden's decision to order a new trial still bothers her, because she feels her daughter was discriminated against.
 
"It was his ignorance to special needs that caused this," she said.
 
Channel 2 Action News called McFadden, who said he could offer no comment because the latest conviction is eligible for appeal.
 
Ballard is joining Bailey in calling for better awareness for victims with special needs.
 
"We could start by not having judges that make us unnecessarily retry a case when there was a proper conviction in the first place," said Ballard.