Felony charge claiming Selma attorney took cocaine-laced birthday card to inmate dismissed

A felony criminal charge filed against Selma attorney Margaret Wells in December 2021 has been dropped.

Margaret Wells, an attorney and lifelong resident of Selma was arrested and charged with Promoting Prison Contraband in the Second Degree on Dec. 8, 2021. The case was initiated by Dallas County Sheriff investigator Michael Kiser after a short investigation regarding a birthday card which was addressed to Marquavious Benjamin, an inmate at the Dallas County Jail, made its way into the Dallas County Jail while Wells was meeting with Benjamin. The birthday card was allegedly laced with cocaine. 

Wells, who was 29 years old at the time of her arrest, and had been a licensed attorney in Alabama for three years, pleaded not guilty to the felony charge on Dec. 22, 2021, waived arraignment and her right to a preliminary hearing in district court the same day. 

Her case was sent to the Grand Jury of Dallas County and has been sitting idle for almost two years awaiting consideration on the merits and evidence in the case as reported by the arresting officer, Michael Kiser, who is no longer an officer with the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department and any other witnesses who would have been called to testify by the State of Alabama. The Grand Jury would then decide whether to indict her for the listed charge, reduce the charge to a lesser-included offense such as a misdemeanor, or to dismiss the charge altogether. 

On Sept. 18, almost two years following her arrest, a Motion to dismiss was filed by Attorney General Steve Marshall, by and through Assistant Attorney General Michele Davidson. The felony charge was then summarily dismissed without a hearing by an Order signed by Dallas County District Judge Vernetta Perkins on Sept. 20. The motion and order of dismissal were filed and granted before her case was presented to the Grand Jury for consideration. 

Wells has maintained her innocence since the date of her arrest with full support of numerous family members, close friends, acquaintances, former and existing clients, and many members of the community. Her law license remained active throughout the pending case after she self-reported the arrest and charge to the Alabama State Bar Association who oversees licensing of attorneys in Alabama. She owns her own firm, Law Office of Margaret Wells, LLC, located in downtown Selma, right across from the Dallas County Courthouse. She continues to practice criminal defense and family law in Selma, Dallas County, and the surrounding areas.