How often do you see sex crime cases involving drugs and alcohol in an alleged offense? How does that impact the case? A good portion of sex-related offenses involve drugs or alcohol. Many people in Los Angeles County are meeting other people on dating applications, which leads to people getting together to go out to a bar and drink.
When something happens between the two parties, one of the parties is not happy with what happened. They claim that they were sexually assaulted because they consumed so much alcohol or drugs that they couldn't consent to sexual activity.
They begin to send text messages accusing the other person of doing something wrong or calling the client with the police on the other line, hoping they will admit wrongdoing or say that they're sorry. The police get a recording of confirmation that foul play went down.
Every time you meet someone for the first time and engage in drinking or drug use, you unknowingly put yourself in a vulnerable position. The other person can easily manipulate the situation, turning it against you.
The next thing you know, they are being examined by a nurse to see any evidence of sexual activity. You are approached by the police, asking whether or not you did anything sexual with the person.
Often, the alleged victim can't even remember whether or not they had any sexual intercourse. If you tell the police that you had consensual sex, you have given the police half of what they need to build a case against you.
It's crucial to involve an experienced sex crimes attorney as soon as possible. This will allow you to strategize on how to handle the police or the other party's attempts to communicate, ensuring your rights are protected.
Usually, the most damning evidence in a sex crime case is the defendant's statement, especially if they give an idea that is in any way inconsistent with other evidence, which makes it look like they are lying.
Discrediting Witness in Sexual-Related Crimes
A child falsely accuses me of sexual abuse. How can my defense attorney handle discrediting this witness without hurting the accuser?
When the accuser is a child, you have to look for the motive for these accusations. Is there a divorce going on? Did a parent of the child give the child information that is not accurate?
Perhaps the child is being abused by someone else and has been influenced to think you are part of what happened to them. There are many reasons for someone to make false sexual allegations.
They do not realize the seriousness of such an act. Often, they are simply angry at the other person for an unrelated reason and accuse the person of engaging in some sexual activity with them as retaliation.
We must consider the surrounding circumstances when deciding how to approach a child accuser. Like any other witness, the prosecutors will have to put that young person on the witness stand to testify.
When you cross-examine a young person, you have to be careful not to come off as being in attack mode and not put yourself in a position where a judge or a jury feels like you are not being appropriate with that young person.
As a sex crime defense attorney, it is my job to employ that strategy. You only want to go on the offensive in a sex crime case. It would help if you got a good plan that makes sense based on the facts and circumstances in your case. Having handled these cases for 26 years, I can help you decide precisely what the best course of action is.
False Memory in Sex Crime Cases
What is a false memory as it relates to a sex crime charge? How can this possibly be used in my defense?
When someone is asleep or intoxicated during an incident or is recalling something that happened a long time ago, their brain tends to fill in the gaps with facts that are not accurate. Maybe they wake up feeling uneasy and believe that they did not consent to the previous night's sexual encounter.
They are frustrated because they can't remember what happened since they were intoxicated, and now, they are trying to piece together what happened. This is where the false memory issues can come in.
Often, they bridge gaps in their memory with facts that simply are not true, and the defense can exploit that in a witness by showing inconsistency with their memory. They have to have an independent recollection of the facts and circumstances relating to what happened, and if they don't, they need to be honest about that.
False Allegations of Sexually Abusing Own Children
I'm going through a divorce, and my soon-to-be-ex is falsely accusing me of sexually abusing our children. Will the prosecutor consider any of this or charge me in my case?
The prosecutor should consider that a divorce is going on and that there may be false allegations. Unfortunately, many times, once they decide that a person must be guilty, they center their case around proving guilt rather than trying to figure out what the truth is.
That is where the defense comes in and why you need an attorney to get on the case early. That allows us to do an investigation parallel to the police's investigation.
I can often submit that to the police or the prosecutors and show them what is happening. In a case, the wife or significant other is not going to admit to police that they were trying to twist things to gain an advantage in a divorce situation, but they might disclose it to me.
Your criminal defense attorney is there to help you present your evidence in a logical and organized manner. This is more effective than simply listing facts, which can make police and prosecutors take your case more seriously.
A criminal defense attorney will meticulously piece together the evidence into a compelling argument for the prosecutor to understand. When a defense attorney challenges a prosecutor's case, they are more likely to investigate it thoroughly, ensuring no stone is left unturned.
Prosecutors are often reluctant to charge someone with a serious crime only to lose the case. This underscores the importance of a thorough defense strategy when facing false allegations.
