CALHOUN COUNTY, AL — Former Alabama State Senator Marshall Douglas Ghee Sr. was indicted by a Calhoun County grand jury on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, on charges of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. On Thursday afternoon, June 26, 2025, Ghee turned himself into the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office Jail, was processed, and bonded out of the facility.
Grand Jury Indictment and Arrest Details
On Wednesday, prosecutors from the Alabama Attorney General’s Office presented evidence to an 18-member grand jury convened at the Calhoun County courthouse. The grand jury voted to “true bill” the case, formally indicting the 78-year-old former lawmaker and sending the case to trial.
The indictment specifically charges Ghee with Sexual Abuse in the First Degree under Alabama Code § 13A-6-66(a)(1). Bond was set at $5,000. The charges constitute a Class C felony, carrying a potential sentence of not less than one year and one day to not more than 10 years in prison if convicted.
The formal indictment reads: “Count 1: Sexual Abuse in the First Degree 13 A-6-66(a)(1) – The Grand Jury of Calhoun County charges that, before the finding of this indictment, Marshall Douglas Ghee, Sr. whose name is otherwise unknown to the Grand Jury, did subject another person, to wit: [Name Redacted], to sexual contact by forcible compulsion, in violation of 13 A-6-66(a)(1) of the Code of Alabama, against the peace and dignity of the State of Alabama.”
Following the indictment, Ghee voluntarily surrendered to authorities at the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office Jail on Thursday afternoon. He was booked, processed through the facility’s intake procedures, and subsequently released after posting the $5,000 bond.
The Criminal Case Origins
The criminal charges stem from an alleged incident that occurred on July 12, 2024, at the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office Jail involving an incarcerated woman. The case began as a criminal investigation by the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney’s Office in mid-July 2024, following allegations made by the victim. The investigation was later transferred to the Alabama Attorney General’s Office for prosecution.
Calhoun County Sheriff Matthew Wade had previously confirmed the ongoing investigation, stating: “I have read the complaint and am glad she is sharing the facts that happened to her. I am very proud of our corrections officers in how they handled that day, and how our investigative team has worked diligently on this case with the attorney general’s office. This case involves a large amount of digital evidence and has expanded to additional individuals. This type of case takes time.”
Background: Civil Lawsuits Filed
The criminal charges follow two civil lawsuits filed against Ghee in 2024. The victim in the criminal case initiated a civil suit as the criminal investigation continued.
The first lawsuit, filed in August 2024, accused Ghee of sexually assaulting a female inmate during attorney visits at the Calhoun County Jail in July 2024. According to court documents, the woman alleged that Ghee visited her on July 12, 2024, promising to secure a better plea deal in exchange for $2,500 and an agreement to become his “sex slave” upon release.
The lawsuit claims that during a second visit on July 17, 2024, Ghee sexually assaulted the handcuffed and shackled woman in an attorney visitation room monitored by security cameras. According to the civil suit, “Defendant Ghee grabbed her by her arms and started kissing her. Ms. King pulled back from Defendant Ghee and did not consent to or reciprocate his actions.”
The complaint states that when the woman indicated she was ready to leave, “Defendant Ghee responded, ‘If you want to go home then you are not ready for the visit to end’ and then he continued his sexual assault by continuing to kiss Ms. King and touching her breast. While handcuffed and shackled, Ms. King was cornered by Defendant Ghee in the small attorney visiting room and he then placed his hand around her throat while groping her again.”
The incident was allegedly interrupted when a corrections officer intervened, removed the woman from the room, and locked Ghee inside the visitation room.
Second Civil Lawsuit
A second lawsuit was filed in September 2024 by a former client who alleged a pattern of sexual assault during divorce and custody proceedings. According to court documents, the woman contacted Ghee in October 2022 for legal representation in a child custody case, paying a “flat fee” of $1,800, followed by an additional $3,500 for divorce proceedings.
The lawsuit alleges that during their first meeting, Ghee asked if she was “good at keeping her mouth shut” and then blocked her exit from the room before allegedly kissing and groping her. The complaint describes how “Ghee walked to the door and blocked the plaintiff from leaving. He then grabbed Plaintiff with both hands by her face, and began kissing her without invitation.”
The complaint states that between October 2022 and February 2023, Ghee contacted the woman multiple times to discuss the case, with each meeting allegedly resulting in sexual assault. During these incidents, Ghee allegedly “continually would coerce or threaten Plaintiff that her failure to do what he wanted her to, namely sexually please him in a locked environment within The Firm without her ability to escape, would result in adverse action against her case.”
The lawsuit also alleges that Ghee used his connections to produce falsified drug screens and hired a locksmith to change the plaintiff’s residential locks to gain access to her home. The second lawsuit describes Ghee as having “instead of undertaking the job of an attorney, instead undertook the job of a predator.”
The second lawsuit lists the following counts against Ghee: Sexual Assault and Battery, Negligence/Negligence Per Se, False Imprisonment, Legal Malpractice, Extortion/Attempted Extortion, and Unjust Enrichment.
Professional Consequences Leading to Criminal Charges
Following the initial allegations in July 2024, Presiding Circuit Court Judge Shannon Page removed Ghee from the list of attorneys eligible for court-appointed cases for indigent defendants. Multiple judges have recused themselves from cases involving Ghee.
On September 4, 2024, Ghee surrendered his law license to the Alabama State Bar and was removed from attorney rolls, effectively ending his legal career before facing these criminal charges.
Ghee’s Background
Ghee served as an Alabama State Senator from 1990 to 1998, representing a district that included Calhoun County. He was a prominent criminal defense attorney in the Anniston area and partner at the law firm Ghee, Draper & Alexander. He was admitted to the Alabama Bar in 1975.
Jail Security System
Officials confirmed that the Calhoun County Jail has over 200 cameras throughout the facility to ensure safety and monitoring. All attorney visitation rooms are equipped with security cameras for real-time monitoring and record video for later review, though audio is not monitored to preserve attorney-client privilege.
Current Legal Status
The indictment and arrest represent a significant development in a case that has drawn considerable attention due to Ghee’s former political position and the serious nature of the allegations. Ghee has not publicly responded to the criminal charges or the civil lawsuits. Attempts to reach his representatives for comment have been unsuccessful.
The case highlights concerns about power dynamics within the criminal justice system and the vulnerability of incarcerated individuals. Under Alabama law, inmates or detainees cannot legally consent to sexual contact while in jail or prison.
With Ghee now formally charged and having posted bond, the criminal case is expected to proceed to trial in the Calhoun County Circuit Court. The criminal prosecution will be pursued by the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, as the local District Attorney’s office recused themselves due to the appearance of potential conflicts.
Update: At 5:26 pm the Attorney General’s Office issued the following statement:
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall today announced the indictment of Marshall Douglas Ghee, Sr. of Calhoun County, on one count of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. Ghee, 79, was served with the indictment against him on Thursday and has been released on bail pending the resolution of the case.
If convicted, Ghee would be subject to a term of imprisonment of not more than 10 years or less than one year and one day.
No further information about the investigation or the alleged crime in this case may be released at this time as this is an ongoing investigation. If you have any information about this case, please contact the Attorney General’s Office Investigations Division at (334) 242-7300.
*An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Update: Doug Ghee issues statement
