A Richmond County Superior Court jury deliberated about two Friday, March 25, before finding a man guilty of sexual assault charges.
Nicholas Mims, 47, had pleaded not guilty to the charges and testified in his own defense earlier in the day Friday. The alleged victim made up the story about being assaulted to get out of her own legal trouble, according to the defense.
The victim testified this week that Mims repeatedly raped her, starting on her 16th birthday in 2014 through March 2018. Mims was the father of her second child, a girl, who was taken to the hospital at 6 months of age. She is accused of cruelty to children in that baby’s treatment in 2020.
In an attempt to determine if there was a genetic cause for the baby’s medical condition, a DNA test was performed. A second DNA test proved Sims was the father of the baby, according to expert witnesses who testified this week.
The victim testified this week that she told several people what Mims was doing to her, but nothing happened. After a while, she said, she stopped talking, convinced that no one cared. “What’s the point. They weren’t listening,” she said.
This week a jury of 12 believed her. Judge John Flythe will sentence Mims on Monday.
Sandy Hodson is a staff reporter covering courts for The Augusta Press. Reach her at sandy@theaugustapress.com.
