Lexington man accused of raping local woman

LAUDERDALE COUNTY - A Lauderdale County man has been charged in connection with the rape of a local woman, authorities said.

The Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office said 51-year-old Danny Glenn Lanier, 4868 Lauderdale 89, Lexington, has been charged with first-degree rape and first-degree sodomy.

Both charges are Class A felonies, punishable by 10 years to life in prison upon conviction.

Lauderdale County Sheriff Ronnie Willis said Lanier was arrested early Wednesday, accused of forcing himself on a 29-year-old woman.

Investigators said the reported rape happened sometime before 7 p.m. Tuesday at Lanier's residence in Lexington.

Officials said the woman is a family acquaintance and was at Lanier's house.

Reports indicate Lanier had been drinking and went into the room where the woman was and raped her.

Department officials said the woman reported that Lanier told her not to tell anyone what had happened.

Willis said according to investigators, sometime later Lanier left the house to get more beer and the woman called 911 to report the incident.

When deputies arrived, the woman was taken to Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital where she was treated and released.

Cathy Connolly, director of Rape Response in Florence, said it's not unusual for a victim to know her attacker.

Connolly said in 77 percent of the reported cases, the victim is raped by someone they know.

"Stranger rapes are rare," she said.

She added that often, the offenders in a rape look for people who are younger "so they can have power, control over."

Statistics indicate that one in six women in the U.S. will be raped during their lifetime.

"A rape happens every two minutes in the U.S.," Connolly said. "What we need to remember is rape goes further than the physical attack. It is very traumatic and can cause all manners of emotional scares. No one ever forgets."

She noted that alcohol is the "drug" most frequently used with rape, whether it's with the offender or the victim.

Lanier was released on bail of $50,000 on the condition that he must not have any contact with the woman.

Tom Smith can be reached at 740-5757 or tom.smith@TimesDaily.com.