Attorney Mark Haushalter appeared at a brief court hearing last week to speak on behalf of Mohammad Hossain. Mr. Hossain, a 19-year old pre-med student at the University of Illinois at Chicago, is facing sexual assault charges after a fellow student claims he attacked her during a sexual encounter. Mr. Hossain maintains, however, that the acts were a consensual re-enactment of a scene from the popular book and movie, Fifty Shades of Grey.
“Our client’s not guilty,” Attorney Haushalter told the court Friday. NBC Chicago reports that the hearing was well-attended by Mr. Hossain’s family and that Mr. Hossain also appeared while in custody. He is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail, but, due to the fact that he’s never been jailed, he is being kept in protective custody at Cook County Jail.
Authorities claim that the alleged assault occurred in a dorm room on West Harrison Street. There is security footage of the alleged victim arriving and leaving the building. Mr. Hossain’s defense team has asked that that footage be provided before the trial. The alleged victim is also set to appear and testify in an upcoming preliminary hearing.
Attorney Mark Haushalter and the rest of Mr. Hossain’s defense team made it clear that Mr. Hossain’s actions were not malicious—and that his record as a good student and active member of the campus community supports the assertion that he is not inclined toward the criminal activity of any kind. A biology major, Mr. Hossain plans to one day become a pediatrician. He is also a UIC triathlete and an alum ambassador responsible for hosting and greeting visitors to the university.
Mr. Hossain’s lawyers also made it evident he and his family are concerned about the allegations and his well-being as the trial looms. As Defense Attorney Joshua Kutnick explained, the need for protective custody before trial was necessary and that being locked up is “a scary thing for him (Mr. Hossain).”
If you or a loved one is facing criminal charges and want to place your defense in trusted hands, then call Okabe & Haushalter today. Our team of Chicago criminal defense attorneys is prepared to protect your rights in court and ensure that your voice is heard.
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