Former boxer Dokes held without bail

Jace Radke

Thursday, Sept. 3, 1998 | 5:03 a.m.

Michael Dokes will be held without bail on an attempted murder charge after allegedly beating his fiancee Monday.

Dokes, the former heavyweight boxing champion, had bail set this morning at $20,000 on a sexual assault charge and $10,000 for false imprisonment, but Justice Court Judge Nancy Oesterle would not grant bail on the attempted murder charge.

Attorneys for Dokes asked that bail be granted on the attempted murder charge because Dokes did not use a weapon.

"The defendant is a former boxer, so in my opinion his hands are a deadly weapon," Oesterle said. "He used those hands to beat this woman so no bail is warranted."

The woman, whose name is not being released because of the nature of the crime, was admitted to University Medical Center for extreme damage to her face including broken bones.

Metro Police say the victim was beaten to a bloody pulp over a period of hours. Also according to police, Dokes sexually assaulted the woman and kept her from seeking medical attention.

The district attorney's office is expected to file complaints against Dokes before he appears in front of Oesterle again on Sept. 11 at 8 a.m.

Deputy district attorneys Vicky Monroe and Doug Herndon said that more charges will likely be levied against Dokes, and that the false imprisonment charge will probably be changed to a full kidnapping charge.