As the readers of This Night Wounds Time may know, the individual identified as "Jason Lawton" in Chapter 17 of the book was the subject of a criminal investigation in a state other than Texas in 2010.
That investigation, wholly unrelated to the March 20, 1988 disappearance of Stacie Madison and Susan Smally, resulted in "Lawton" being charged in September 2010 with multiple counts of physical and sexual abuse.
This case was set to go to trial on Monday, February 28, 2011.
Under the American system of justice, one is innocent until proven guilty, and it must be noted that the charges against "Lawton" were dismissed on Friday, February 25, 2011. The charges that were dismissed are as follows:
* Two counts of criminal abuse, first degree, with a child under 12 years of age;
* Three counts of wanton endangerment, first degree;
* One count of assault, second degree;
* One count of terroristic threatening, third degree;
* One count of distributing obscene material to minors, first offense;
* Three counts of indecent exposure, first degree, first offense; and
* One count of intimidating a participant in a legal process.
Insofar as is known, a domestic violence charge brought against "Lawton" in 2010 by his fourth wife remains pending as of this writing.
