May 29, 2025 – A Sumner County jury has convicted 33-year-old Michael Charles Dial of rape following a two-day trial that concluded with just 30 minutes of deliberation.
Dial was arrested in April 2024 after an investigation by Detective Phillip Douglas of the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office revealed that he assaulted a female houseguest while she slept in a back bedroom of his Cottontown home. The victim fled the residence and sought help, later undergoing a forensic exam at the Sexual Assault Center in Nashville. DNA evidence collected during the exam was matched to Dial by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab.
Following the verdict, Judge Jennifer Nichols revoked Dial’s bond. He will be held in custody until his sentencing, which is set for August 4. Under Tennessee law, rape is classified as a Class B felony, carrying a sentence of 8 to 12 years without the possibility of parole or early release.
Officials credited the victim’s courage, the Sheriff’s Office’s investigative work, and the continued efforts of victim advocates, including Sally Pirtle, for helping secure the conviction.
Source: Ray Whitley, District Attorney General, Sumner County
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