Published: October 08, 2008 11:14 am         

Man gets 40-years for sexual battery

Attala County Circuit Judge C.E. Morgan III gave Dirk “Shey” Hutchison, 20, of Sallis, a 40-year sentence for sexual battery after a sentencing hearing Thursday, Oct.2, in the Attala County Courthouse. Hutchison, who plead guilty to the charge earlier in court, will serve 25 years in prison before being released on post-release supervision for 15 years.

“You are not the victim,” Morgan said. “What you have given these children is a life sentence. You are a pedophile Mr. Hutchison.”

Hutchison was originally charged with two counts of sexual battery and one count of touching a child for lustful purposes in February after a tape recording of his admission of sexual acts with his two younger male cousins, ages 11 and 13, was turned into the Attala County Sheriff’s Department.

ACSD Investigator Zelie Shaw said after they received the recording, they executed a search warrant at Hutchison’s home in Sallis. The recording was heard during the hearing by Morgan, assistant district attorneys Mike Howie and Adam Hopper, Hutchison and his lawyer, Steve Wright. Due to poor acoustics in the courtroom it was heard in the jury room.

Shaw said Hutchison openly admitted he had been doing bad things to his two cousins.

Hutchison’s statement was read out loud by Shaw in court.

In the statement, Hutchison wrote that he has been doing sexual things with his cousins since he reached puberty several years ago, and that his hormones were out of control and he was not thinking clearly.

He stated that he was sexually molested by an out-of-state cousin when he was 5 and never told anyone about it.

“I thought this is what you do,” his statement read. “It’s just a cycle.”

The mother of the two victims – whose name is being withheld to protect the children – testified that there had been dramatic changes in her oldest son’s behavior.

She said he use to be outgoing and now he stays to himself and rebels.

“I think he should go to prison,” the mother said. “(My son) has to deal with this for the rest of his life.”

She added she had been contacted by Hutchison and he wanted to settle this out of court. She told him it was out of her hands.

The grandmother of Hutchison and the two children, said this has broken their family apart and she has had little time with her two younger grandchildren.

“I beg you not to send him to prison. He is reaching out for help,” the grandmother said. “I hope and pray to bring our family back together.”

Two of Hutchison’s neighbors, Erma Branch and Kelly Mitchell, also testified on his behalf about his likeable nature and his role in the Sallis community.

Clinical psychologist, Dr. Gerald O’Bryant, took the stand as an expert witness and discussed the test he performed on Hutchison.

Bryant said he found him to be a bright person who is confused about his sexual identity and needs psychological help possibly with medication and that he was a low-risk of re-offense.

“I do not believe in tests,” Morgan said during sentencing, “You are not a victim in this.”

Morgan said it was his obligation to society and these children to put him in prison.

Several letters to Hutchison’s character were submitted to Morgan and he said he will listen to letters and testimony of support.