Accuser asks to drop sexual abuse charges against Perry Hooper

The woman who accused former Rep. Perry Hooper Jr. of groping her at a downtown Montgomery restaurant said she has asked that the charges against Hooper be dropped and asked for a public apology from the former lawmaker.

The accuser's attorney shared the statement via email Monday afternoon, 10 days after a grand jury indicted Hooper of first-degree sexual abuse.

"I have asked that any charges against Perry Hooper be dismissed. The matters relating to Mr. Hooper and me have been resolved and going through the turmoil of a trial would provide no more justice than getting a sincere public apology from Mr. Hooper. I so respect and appreciate law enforcement and the job they have to perform, nevertheless, I request these charges be dismissed," the statement said.

In an affidavit, the woman said that Hooper, 68, assaulted her at a restaurant on Commerce Street on Aug. 16. She accused Hooper of approaching her from behind before grabbing her breasts and waist, shoving his pelvis into her backside and kissing her neck before she was able to break free.

Hooper was arrested on Aug. 23 and released on a $15,000 bond.

The charges were not dropped as of early Tuesday, according to online court records. Montgomery County Chief Deputy District Attorney Azzie Taylor said on Tuesday that the prosecution hasn't determined whether the charges will be dropped.

“It is not uncommon for problems to arise in the prosecution of cases. Prosecutors must step back, assess the facts and evidence in light of the issues that have been presented, and then conclude whether the State of Alabama can move forward or not," Taylor said in an emailed statement.

Hooper, a Republican, represented Montgomery in the Alabama House of Representatives from 1983 to 2002. He continued to work in politics after his legislative career ended, including serving as co-chair of former President Donald Trump’s Alabama campaign in 2016.

Hooper's opinions were also frequently shared in the Montgomery Advertiser in the past, but his op-eds were discontinued in fall 2021 as part of a change to the paper's Opinion page strategy. He continued to submit letters to the editor and entertainment tributes published as recently as June 2022.

Evan Mealins is the justice reporter for the Montgomery Advertiser. Contact him at emealins@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanMealins.

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This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Perry Hooper Jr.: Accuser asks to drop charges, seeks apology