A 20-year-old Birmingham man was arrested recently and charged with crimes in connection with the reported rape of a female jogger near Altamont Road, The Birmingham News reports.
Last September, a female jogger reported she was attacked and raped by a man. Two days later, another woman jogging nearby was nearly attacked but ran away. The man was arrested in connection with a third event when a woman reported a man in a gold Dodge Neon was following her and she was able to get the tag number and report it to police. That, police said, led them to the 20-year-old they recently arrested. He is charged with rape, sodomy, kidnapping, sexual abuse, attempted kidnapping and possession of a controlled substance.
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It’s easy for the public to villainize people charged with sex crimes in Birmingham. But like anyone charged with a crime, they have the Constitutional right to a fair trial and competent defense representation. That’s why Alabama criminal attorneys dedicate time to defending people charged with these types of crimes.
When someone reports they have been sexually assaulted and the media produces stories about it, it puts pressure on police to make an arrest. They rush to judgment and may seek to prosecute someone who may be innocent. A lack of credible DNA evidence, shaky eye witnesses and alibis for the suspect are all defenses that can be presented at trial.
Sex crimes are some of the most frightening to be faced with, whether the allegations are true or not. Often, these cases come down to one person’s word against another’s. Sometimes, the alleged victim has a personal feud with the attacker or isn’t 100 percent sure that is the person who attacked them but wants someone arrested for the crime. It happens and can result in a false arrest.
But once an arrest is made, it can ruin a person’s reputation, even if it’s a false allegation. If convicted, penalties for the crime can range from years to decades in prison, steep fines and lifelong restrictions on a person’s life once they are released from incarceration.
Again, these are serious crimes and require serious representation. Along with criminal consequences, someone fighting a sex charge publicly can face problems at home, at work and in the community. Protect your rights and don’t speak with law enforcement before consulting with a sex crimes attorney.
If you need to speak with a criminal defense attorney in Alabama, contact attorney Steven D. Eversole at 205-981-2450 for a free consultation.
