Judge allows man accused in sex assault to drop plea

Kim Smith

Monday, June 18, 2001 | 10:18 a.m.

A Las Vegas man accused of drugging and sexually assaulting three women on videotape will face a jury after a Clark County District judge agreed Friday to let him back out of his plea agreement.

District Judge Mark Gibbons scheduled Clarence "Jim" Dozier's trial for July 23 after Dozier complained that his attorney mislead him about the plea agreement he signed in April.

Dozier told Gibbons that James "Bucky" Buchanan told him he faced a maximum of 10 years in prison when he actually faced a potential life sentence under the agreement.

Buchanan told Gibbons he doubts he told Dozier the maximum sentence was 10 years, but because Buchanan couldn't remember specifically what he told Dozier, Gibbons granted the request.

Dozier was arrested on 27 felony charges in November after one of the women woke up while being sexually assaulted and called the police.

Police, who suspect Dozier used a prescription sedative to knock the women out, seized at least one videotape of the sexual assaults.

That tape will be viewed by jurors during Dozier's trial. If convicted, Dozier will face multiple life sentences.