More and more, people are being charged with sex crimes such as unlawful sexual touching and being required to register as sex offenders across the country. This is a hot topic with the #MeToo hashtag movement sweeping across America and, specifically, in liberal Los Angeles County.
The District Attorney's Office of LA County has opened up a particular unit to prosecute people charged with crimes that involve the unlawful sexual touching of another. Sexual battery, simple battery, Penal Code Section 242 Assault, and Penal Code Section 240 are standard charges filed. More serious crimes, such as Penal Code Section 288, can also be charged if there's any penetration involved.
When facing charges related to sexual touching, it's crucial to seek legal representation from an attorney experienced in handling such cases. A knowledgeable attorney can navigate the complex legal system, understand the judges and prosecutors, and employ effective defense strategies in jury trials in LA County.
Due to the heightened political sensitivity of sex-related offenses, it's essential to take additional precautions when defending against such charges in LA County.
When jury trials are done, there are questionnaires and specific voir dire questions that are asked of prospective jurors to see if they're tainted in any way or have a biased against those people who are charged with sexually related offenses, and specifically, sexual touching an adult or even a minor.
What is Characterized as Sexual Touching for the Purposes of a Criminal Case?
To be charged with some sexual offense in Los Angeles County, the person being prosecuted must be shown to have touched the private part of another with the intent to arouse that person or themselves or both sexually.
Accidentally touching another person – even in a private area – would not be a crime. The question becomes, though, what are the surrounding circumstances relating to the alleged sexual touching of another? Does that person have any prior criminal record, and what events caused that person to be charged with a sex offense in LA County?
As you might guess, all sorts of different circumstances can cause a person to be charged with sexual touching. Some can be innocent behavior, some can be non-innocent behavior, and some can be very difficult to tell whether or not there was any sexual intent based on the circumstances.
Often, the police get the alleged victim's side of the story and don't get the side of the story of the person charged with the sexual crime.
In my experience, it's crucial that your criminal defense attorney has your side of the story and can get evidence to bolster your side of the story when it comes to a sexually touching case.
It's essential to meet with your sexual crime attorney and provide them with all the details, without any spin, about what happened – the good and the bad. This open and honest communication is crucial for your attorney to understand your situation fully and provide you with the best possible defense. When I handle these cases, I ensure that I have all the information I need to defend you effectively.
I will also pinpoint crucial arguments for the defense and ask the prosecutors to see precisely what they will say in response to that. Once I hear what they say, I'll know where the key areas are where we need to defend the case and bring evidence forth to show that your version of events is the actual version of events and that you should not be charged with the sexual offense.
Having the knowledge that you're intentionally sexually touching somebody is crucial. When jury judges and prosecutors evaluate whether or not you sexually handled somebody deliberately, they're going to look at the surrounding circumstances. They're going to look at precisely what you did.
They'll examine whether any witnesses can support their version of events or whether the evidence shows that their version of events is incorrect.
For your defense, it's vital to find a criminal defense attorney who has successfully defended these types of cases and achieved a positive resolution. This will give you hope and optimism for your case's outcome.
When I meet with the client, I will be honest with them and give them my opinion as to whether or not they have a good case based on my experience handling many jury trials on this subject.
