One of the reasons a sex crime case is so delicate is because the stakes are high for everyone involved, especially for the accused.
If you’re ever convicted of a sex crime, life as you know it may very well be over. The tentacles of this conviction will spread into every aspect of your life, affecting them in many ways, none of which will be positive.
Your saving grace would be a competent sex crimes lawyer who has a track record of getting innocent off the hook before they begin to face the consequences of a conviction.
These lawyers typically have a bag full of defenses that they will use to convince the judge and jury that the allegations against you hold no water.
We’ll be fully discussing some of such defenses in this article.
Consent
One of the biggest questions in many sex crime cases is about consent. Consent is all about whether both people involved agreed to what happened. If one person later claims that things weren’t consensual, the lawyer might argue otherwise.
Imagine the case of two people who are seeing each other. If one later says the other forced them, the defense might look for evidence that shows they both said “yes” at the time. The lawyer could dig up texts, and messages on social media, or even talk to friends who might have witnessed their interactions.
The idea here is to show that the accused genuinely believed the encounter was consensual.
Mistaken Identity
There are times when a person might be wrongly accused of something they didn’t do. This is known as mistaken identity. It often happens when the crime occurs quickly or in a setting where the victim doesn’t get a clear look at the alleged attacker.
In these cases, the lawyer might work to prove that their client was simply not there when the crime happened.
They could gather alibi witnesses who can say where the accused was at the time or pull in security footage from a nearby store or street.
The Claims are False
Sadly, there are times when people make false accusations simply because of jealousy, revenge, or just a big misunderstanding. When that happens, the lawyer’s job is to show that the claims against their client don’t hold water.
To fight against false accusations, the lawyer gathers evidence that supports the accused’s side of the story. This might include digging into the accuser’s motives or any history they might have that suggests they could be lying.
All you have to do is hire a lawyer who has a knack for digging even the most hidden modus operandi.
No Proof
In any case, the prosecution has to provide solid evidence to prove someone is guilty. If they can’t do that, the defense can argue that there simply isn’t enough proof to support the claims.
The defense might highlight inconsistencies in the accuser’s story or question the reliability of the witnesses.
For example, if a witness’s account changes several times, the defense will definitely point that out. The concept of reasonable doubt can come into play if your lawyer is able to establish doubt about the credibility of the accusation, evidence, or even testimonies. If they can successfully do this, they can even file a motion for the case to be dismissed.
Insanity Defense
Sometimes, a lawyer might use an insanity defense and argue that their client wasn’t mentally fit to understand their actions at the time of the crime.
To make this defense stick, the lawyer usually brings in mental health experts who can explain what is going on with the accused’s mind.
To make this defense work, they usually need help from mental health experts. These experts can explain the person’s mental health problems and how they might have influenced their actions. It’s a delicate topic, true, but it can be really important in helping the judge understand the whole situation.
