Man Charged In Sexual Assault At Goodale Park Charges Dismissed After Receipt Of DNA Results

Posted on 12/11/2012

Defendant: Abbas M. Ali

Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announced that Abbas M. Ali, age 25, charges were dismissed after DNA results came back from the lab that exclude him as the offender in connection with the September 16, 2012 attack of a woman in Goodale Park. The victim was attacked in her car, and then robbed, prior to the suspect fleeing the area. Ali had been charged with rape, kidnapping, robbery, and abduction. “That case was dismissed based on DNA results that cleared Ali as the offender in this crime,” O’Brien stated. The Columbus Police Special Victims Unit along with O’Brien’s prosecutors continued to investigate the case after the September 20, 2012 arrest that was based on a photo identification. DNA tests on physical evidence were sought from both the CPD Crime Lab and the Ohio BCI&I Lab. O’Brien said the goal of law enforcement and his office is not only to solve crimes but to seek justice. Here the additional scientific testing was sought to confirm the photo identification. However, the results excluded Ali as the offender and as a result the charges were dismissed.