One not guilty, another sex abuse case continues in Dale County

OZARK - One sex abuse case in Dale County ended on Wednesday with a not guilty verdict, while another sex abuse case is expected to continue through today.

Nolan Bryant, 27, was acquitted by a jury on Wednesday of one charge of second-degree rape and three counts of second-degree sodomy. According to authorities, Hill was charged in December 2008 after he was alleged to have had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl.

His attorney, Billy Sheffield, said he believed the inconsistency of the alleged victim’s testimony is what led jurors to their decision.

“A lot of times what you have in these cases is one’s word against another, so these are very difficult cases on both sides - the district attorney and the defense,” he said.

A second case in Dale County this week involves Rodrick Linder, 35, of Newton, who was charged with two counts of sexual abuse of a child less than 12 in November 2008.

Linder’s trial began on Monday and continued on Wednesday with testimony from law enforcement experts and medical personnel.

According to Dale County Chief Sheriff’s Investigator Harvey Mathis, Linder sexually abused a three-year-old girl beginning in 2004 and continued until 2008.

Linder’s attorney, Tammy Stinson, said Wednesday that there appeared to be some inconsistencies in testimony by some of the prosecution’s witnesses.

A third man, 19-year-old Daniel Ray Metcalf of Midland City, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to two counts of sexual abuse of a child less than 12.

He was charged in November 2008 after a toddler alleged Metcalf sexually abused her, according to a statement from the Dale County Sheriff’s Office.

In the plea agreement, Metcalf will serve a full 11-year sentence because of the age of the child, according to the statement.