Shelby, North Carolina



From the Charlotte Observer of December 19, 2003 (Requires Registration)

Murder charges are dropped against daughter



Cleveland County prosecutors Thursday dropped a murder charge against Kimberly Dawkins, 22, who was accused of shooting her father to death Tuesday at their Grover home.



The decision was made after authorities were told Dawkins' father, Donald, made sexual advances toward her that night and physically assaulted her and her mentally challenged young son, said Assistant District Attorney Rick Shaffer.



Capt. Bobby Steen of the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office said the assault was corroborated by Kimberly Dawkins' mother, Francine Dawkins. He said the mother told police she overheard an altercation between her husband and daughter that night during a phone call to Kimberly Dawkins.



Shaffer said Kimberly Dawkins was pregnant and trying to protect her unborn child when she shot her father in self-defense. That also prompted the district attorney to drop the murder charge, he said.



Police said Kimberly Dawkins called 911 Tuesday night and said she had shot her father once at their home. He died from a single chest wound.



Donald Dawkins, 50, had a long criminal history, including charges for murder, possession of cocaine, driving while impaired and assaulting his wife and daughter. In 1994, he was charged with murder and assault with a deadly weapon after police said he stabbed one man to death and wounded another. However, the district attorney dropped the charges because officers involved in the case "were no longer available," according to court records.



Kimberly Dawkins was released from Cleveland County Detention Center on Thursday morning.

[What a creep. Better late than never. -- Clayton]