By Jessie Burchette
jburchette@salisburypost.com
A man sentenced in 1983 to life in prison for raping a 6-year-old girl will be released later this month.
Eddie Charles Jones, 61, is scheduled for release on Sept. 22.
Jones was 33 years old and lived on Vanderford Street when the incident occurred in June 1982.
The child testified during the trial in Rowan County Superior Court. The Post does not publish the names of victims of sex offenses.
Jones maintained that he was innocent.
In March 1983, a jury returned a verdict of guilty after deliberating for one hour. Superior Court Judge James Long imposed the mandatory life prison sentence.
Vic Bost served as the court-appointed attorney for Jones.
In 1984, the N.C. Supreme Court upheld the conviction.
Patsy Joiner, administrator for the N.C. Parole Commission, said Jones successfully completed the MAPP (Mutually Agreement Parole Program) that “requires the (inmate) to do a litany of things.”
The requirements include education, a jobs program and other elements. “If they are successful in doing everything, they are given a release date,” Joiner said Tuesday.
“He was approved for the program, he went through it. He did what he was supposed to,” he said.
He will have served around 26 years of the life sentence.
Joiner said typically when an inmate is coming up for parole, the commission notifies the victim.
Joiner said the final conditions on Jones’ probation will be established later this month prior to his release.
Jones will have to register as a sex offender.