When You Didn’t Do It: Fighting False Sex Assault Charges

A false allegation of sexual assault can destroy your life. With the recent advent of the “Me Too” movement, more and more women are coming forth with allegations of unwanted touching, sexual assault and rape. Unfortunately, many of these allegations may shake out to be true, but many others may prove to be false. There is an untold number of people sitting in jail right now who are innocent of sexual assault charges, and even among those who are able to prove their innocence, the stigma of being accused of a sex crime never goes away. In fact, it can cause irreparable harm to the accused’s reputation.

Whether you are accused of sexual assault, sexual battery or some other sex crime, your first action following your arrest should be a call to our Los Angeles sex crimes defense attorney. Strategizing for your defense should begin immediately, giving you the best shot for proving that the charges against you are false.

“He Said, She Said”

In many instances, sexual assault allegations tend to hinge on the proverbial “he said, she said” concept. Sometimes there is little more than a victim’s word to back up her claim of sexual assault. In this case, it is basically the accused’s word against the victim’s word, which can go either way in a court of law depending on who puts up the most persuasive argument. Sometimes there will be evidence of sexual activity present upon examination of the victim, yet the accused believed the sex to be consensual.

For these reasons, gathering evidence to support your side of the story is essential to beating a false allegation of sexual assault. This might include:

• Conversations between you and the victim supporting your assertion of consensual sex. This might include emails, text messages, exchanges on social media, or voicemails alluding to the encounter.
• An alibi, confirming where you were when the assault took place. Alibis are more believable if there are multiple witnesses who can corroborate your version of events and vouch for your whereabouts at the time of the assault. Photographic or video evidence of you somewhere else when the assault occurred can be quite convincing.
• Witness testimony about any possible motives the victim has for making false accusations.

Let Us Help You

At Okabe & Haushalter, we know that you are likely frightened, confused and stressed about your pending sexual assault charge. Since sexual assault charges carry stiff penalties, including years of prison time, large fines, and mandatory registration for life on the Sex Offender Registry, your fear is well-founded. Our Los Angeles sex crimes defense attorney is here to help guide you through the process of fighting your charges and minimizing the impact that a potential conviction has on your life. Our goal is acquittal or dismissal, and we work tirelessly to exonerate our clients using every legal strategy possible. Put your trust in us. Set up your free case review now by contacting us at 310-543-7708.