A man accused of attacking a woman inside a popular Midtown nightclub has been indicted on rape and aggravated sexual battery charges, the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office said.
Dominique Williams, 34, was indicted by a grand jury Monday on an aggravated battery charge in the alleged Jan. 19 attack on Jasmine Eiland inside Opera nightclub. The indictment has not yet been uploaded to the Fulton County Superior Court’s system.
Attorney Chris Stewart, who represents Eiland, said the indictment was “another step toward justice and protecting women in Atlanta.”
Atlanta police said Williams sexually accosted Eiland on the dance floor before taking her to an outside patio area and attacking her again. Eiland, who was at the club celebrating her birthday, inadvertently streamed video of the attack on Facebook Live. Eiland later filed a lawsuit against the nightclub alleging they lacked security that night.
It is the policy of the AJC to not name alleged victims of sexual crimes, but in this case Eiland chose to publicly discuss the incident. "I figured that if I had not come forward and put my face forward, what would the next woman do," she said when announcing the lawsuit.
Williams was also indicted on a rape charge for an incident alleged to have occurred at his South Fulton home in September. Atlanta police Detective Katie Riester, the lead investigator in the nightclub case, testified Feb. 14 that the victim told police she went on a date with Williams and had drinks with him at a restaurant. At one point, the woman went to the restroom, came back and finished her drink. The woman said she soon felt woozy and weak, Riester said.
Williams then offered to have her wait at his place until she felt comfortable driving home, Reister said. The woman agreed to go to Williams’ home where they had “good conversation.”
“...Then the next thing she remembered was waking up in his bed,” Riester said.
The woman came forward after learning of Eiland’s assault.
“She’s always wanted justice for herself and Jasmine,” the victim’s attorney, Gerald Griggs, said. “She’s hopeful now that (Williams) has been charged.”
Williams remains in Fulton County Jail without bond.
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