Dad accused of fracturing infant daughter's skull gets charges dismissed--because his trial wasn't "speedy" enough (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Dad CHRISTOPHER DODD was accused of fracturing his daughter's skull when she was only 4-weeks old. That was just two years ago. But he won't have to answer to those charges, now that a judge has ruled that Dad's right to a "speedy" trial was violated.

http://www.krdo.com/news/25986677/detail.html

Mom Blames Father For Dismissed Abuse Case
by: Heather Skold
Anchor/Reporter

POSTED: 11:17 pm MST December 1, 2010
UPDATED: 9:42 am MST December 2, 2010

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Only on 13, the mother of the little girl at the center of the dismissed Dodson case spoke out.

Rachel Dodson told KRDO NEWSCHANNEL 13 she waited nearly two years for her husband, Christopher Dodson’s day in court.

Marissa Nicole is like any other toddler.

"She's walking, she's talking in her own way. She doesn't look any different than any other baby," said mom Rachel Dodson. Marissa will turn two in a few days.

Hard to believe that just four weeks into her life, her skull was fractured.

"I wake up to this wailing baby," remembered Rachel Dodson.

Marissa had a brain injury. Her father - Rachel's husband, Christopher – is accused of causing it.

Rachel says she doesn't know when Chris snapped.

"I loved everything about him. He was sweet, he was nice. He did everything a gentleman should do."

Now though the child abuse charges brought against Christopher Dodson have been dismissed after a Judge ruled his constitutional rights were violated when his right to a speedy trial expired.

“They found a loophole. And that's what this case is all about: loopholes," said Rachel Dodson.

Rachel doesn't point fingers at the system, but places blame squarely on Chris.

"An innocent man would want to prove that he's innocent. But with Chris, he's a coward. I'm glad she's still here. That he didn't take her from me forever."