Former Alabama state senator facing another sexual extortion suit surrenders law license

A second woman has filed a lawsuit against a well-known former east Alabama attorney and former state senator claiming he sexually coerced and assaulted her.

Saraland attorney Travis Johns filed the lawsuit against 78-year-old lawyer Doug Ghee this week in Calhoun County Circuit on behalf of the 27-year-old alleged victim.

The lawsuit claims that if she complied with his demands it would gain her favor in her pending divorce and child custody case.

It also lists as defendants Ghee’s law firm, Ghee Draper and Alexander, as well as partners Wendy Ghee Draper, Jennifer Ghee Downey, Laura Ghee Alexander, David C. Alexander, and Lindsey Ghee McDaniel.

Ghee earlier this week surrendered his law license “pursuant to the Alabama Rules of Disciplinary Procedure” according to a document provided to AL.com by disciplinary clerk of the Alabama Bar Association. The license surrender was effective immediately.

Ghee launched his law career in 1975 and served in the Alabama Legislature from 1990 through 1998.

Efforts to reach Ghee, his partners and his attorney for comment have not been successful.

In August, a 28-year-old woman filed the first lawsuit against Ghee, who was her attorney in a criminal case, alleging that he sexually assaulted her while she was handcuffed in a Calhoun County Jail visiting room for lawyers and clients.

In that first case, the lawsuit states Ghee told the woman he was friends with the judge and assistant district attorney assigned to her cases and because of that, he could get her a better offer than the one that was on the table with her current attorney .

The offer was contingent on the woman hiring Ghee for $2,500 and “agree to be his sex slave” after she was released from custody, according to the lawsuit.

In the newest lawsuit, the 27-year-old woman said she became involved in 2022 in a divorce and DHR investigation after her child ingested a CBD gummy.

The woman and her parents first met with Ghee on Oct. 18, 2022, and paid him a $1,800 retainer.

The following day, Ghee called her back to his office where she learned her husband had filed for divorce.

She paid Ghee another “flat fee” of $3,500 to retain Ghee and the firm for the divorce proceedings.

In their first time meeting alone, the suit states, Ghee asked her if she “was good at keeping secrets.”

As the meeting progressed, she told Ghee she was not comfortable going to court yet because she believed she would fail a drug test due to her use of legal Delta 8/CBD products.

Again, the suit contends, Ghee asked if she was good at keeping secrets.

The woman said when she stood up to leave at the end of the meeting, Ghee blocked the door and sexually assaulted her.

Specifically, the lawsuit says, he grabbed her face and started kissing her, grouped her and put his hand down her pants.

He told her, according to the lawsuit, “Look, if you want to have the upper hand in court and get what you want, you’ll do what I say.”

He went on to say he could talk to the judge off the record and get her what she wanted.

“At this point, Doug realized that he had successfully converted his client into a controllable victim and began to further take advantage of her,” the alleged victim’s lawyer wrote in the suit.

From October 2022 through February 2023, the two met at least eight times at his office or at undisclosed homes. The meetings were always after 4:30 pm, and his office closed for the day at 5 pm

The suit alleges Ghee used his power at the law firm to send any remaining employees home and lock the doors. It also states he took medication she believed to be Viagra during the visits, and forced her to have sex with him.

No criminal charges have been filed against Ghee but in late July, Calhoun County Sheriff Matthew Wade confirmed that an investigation was underway into an alleged incident in the Calhoun County Jail involving an attorney and a female inmate.

Wade said he could not identify the attorney, but said the investigation is ongoing by the sheriff’s office and the Alabama Attorney General’s Office.

The sheriff said the case had expanded to include “a large amount of digital evidence and multiple individuals.”

“This takes time,” Wade said. “As sheriff, I stand for justice and righteousness.”

“We will find the truth and I will fight for those who can’t,” he said.

After the alleged incidents, Seventh Judicial Circuit Court Presiding Judge Shannon Page issued an administrative order barring Ghee from being assigned to indigent defense cases.

Several complaints were made to the Alabama Bar Association which led up to the surrender of Ghee’s license to practice law.