Underwood’s assessment: “His ability to practice law is ended.” – Complete statement

Donald Glenn Tipper

FLORENCE – The Florence attorney who was arrested Tuesday for allegedly raping a 28 year old client is facing a possible long prison term if he is convicted. Donald Glenn Tipper, 65, was indicted recent;y by a Lauderdale County Grand Jury on charges of the alleged 2011 rape and sodomy of a female client. the case was handled by the Office of Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange.

With his attorney, Billy Underwood by his side, Tipper turned himself in at the Florence/Lauderdale Detention Center, was photographed, and made a $100-thousand bond.

Underwood released this statement to the Quad-Cities Daily:

“On the 5th of February, 2011, the alleged victim pled guilty in Florence Municipal Court to Theft of Property 3rd Degree. She was arrested sometime after this plea and pled guilty in May, 2011 to a misdemeanor in Lauderdale County District Court. This plea was a reduction of a felony and she was placed on probation for both cases for one year. Probation means she was supposed to be good and not get arrested or in any further trouble.

On the 10th of July, 2011, the victim was again arrested for Theft of Property in the City of Florence. Don Tipper was appointed to represent her concerning an attempt by the City of Florence to revoke her prior sentences. Tipper has a note in his file which shows the victim called his office the 3rd of August, 2011 and made an appointment with him the 19th of August, 2011.

Two days before the victim was to visit with Tipper, Florence Police pulled her over and she received a ticket for Switched Tag and was also arrested for Possession of Marijuana 2nd. There is no question the City of Florence and State of Alabama sentences for one year would be enforced and the victim would be placed in jail for these recent arrests.

On the day in question, the victim arrived at Keystone Business Center around 1:10 p.m. and went into Tipper’s office around 1:25. Sometime around 1:35 to 1:40, a lawyer knocked on Tipper’s office door and asked if she could copy some legal documents. Tipper told her she could. This female lawyer has given an affidavit stating the female victim left Tipper’s office within five to ten minutes after she arrived. The alleged victim appeared completely calm. She was not disheveled and had no bruises or marks on her.

The two women downstairs who worked at Keystone Business Center both gave affidavits stating they saw the victim come down and meet a man with one leg who had accompanied her to the business center. The couple calmly talked and were concerned about which exit they would use because the man had fallen down when entering the building. She had no bruises on her and her clothing was not disheveled.

During the course of our investigation, this attorney spoke with two males who lived with the victim from September, 2011 to December, 2011. The men stated she told them she had not been raped by Tipper but was going to use this as an opportunity to stay out of jail and get money from him.

No matter what, Don Tipper’s life is ruined from this day forward. A victory in court does not exonerate him in the eyes of the public because everyone knows 50% percent will say he did rape the victim and 50% that he was exonerated. His ability to practice law is ended. I hope that after a trial there will be some satisfaction with a not-guilty verdict.”

Statement by William J. Underwood