How To Defend Accusations Of Rape And Other Sex Crimes In Florida?
Sex crimes are considered some of the most serious crimes that carry draconian penalties. They are also the most socially stigmatizing crimes in existence which will jeopardize your life in ways you can’t even imagine. Simply being accused of a sex offense will have devastating effects on your life, long before guilt is actually proven in court by a judge or jury. If you are facing allegations of committing a sex crime in Florida, never make the mistake of cooperating with law enforcement without hiring a criminal defense attorney first. A criminal defense attorney understands the importance of gathering exculpatory evidence that will be used in favor of the defendant.
Gathering evidence is important because of the unique nature of sex crimes. In all sex crimes, law heavily favors the accuser. The court will not look at the past history of the accuser, their mental health, or any episodes of false accusations made by them in the past. Any past sexual history of the accuser will also not be admissible in sex crime cases. Florida law favors the accuser in sex crime cases and law enforcement will blindly believe the accuser. Law enforcement may even twist your words and misquote your statements in police reports when building a case against you.
Defending a sex crime charge
The only defense against a sexual accusation in Florida is to gather enough exculpatory evidence that would support the innocence of the accused and will question the credibility of the accuser. In order to do that, you will need to get in touch with a criminal defense attorney who has experience handling sex crime cases. The attorney should have specialized legal knowledge in sex crimes defense and must have shrewd negotiation skills. The attorney must also have trial tested experience in sex crime cases.
Common sex crimes in Florida
Apart from some of the most commonly known sex crimes such as rape and sexual assault, there are other crimes which also fall under sex crimes in Florida. These include child pornography, statutory rape, child molestation, internet sex offenses, prostitution and failure to register as a sex offender, child abuse, indecent exposure, lewd or lascivious battery, conduct, exhibition and molestation, along with unlawful sex with a minor.
Common sex crime defenses
Your attorney will use a number of methods in order to build a strong defense. These include:
- Investigating the accuser
- Gathering exculpatory evidence
- Hiring a private investigator
- Doing a confidential polygraph examination
- Have the client submit to a confidential psycho-sexual examination
Your attorney will use the above methods in order to build up a strong defense case. If some cases, the attorney may use Florida’s Romeo and Juliet Law in order to help their client avoid the harsh consequences of lifetime inclusion on the sex-offenders registry. This law allows certain people convicted of crimes involving unlawful sexual activity with minors to avoid designation as a sexual offender or sexual predator. Instead, they are required to submit to lifetime sexual offender registration requirements.
