Arizona Sex Crimes Defense Attorneys

Sex crimes are a unique classification of criminal activity because the standard of proof is different than in other crimes.  In a burglary, for example, a person may be accused because he or she is caught in the act of breaking and entering and in possession of burglary tools; in that case, it is relatively easy for a jury to find “beyond a reasonable doubt” that the person is guilty.  With a sex crime, however, the conviction often hinges on who the jury believes more—the purported victim or the alleged attacker.

While physical evidence is often present in sex crimes, its meaning may be open to interpretation.  Blood, saliva and other body fluids can establish through DNA testing that a person was present at an alleged crime scene but do not always tell the full story of what actually happened.

In a sex crimes case, a successful defense often hinges on convincing a jury that the alleged attacker was not actually breaking the law.  While our jurisprudence system is based on the “innocent until proven guilty” theory, it is an unfortunate fact that sex crimes sometimes fall outside the pale of this ideal.  Many people accused of sex crimes have been convicted based on someone else’s testimony combined with some physical evidence when in fact those accused were not guilty of any crime.  Others have been convicted based on the presence of pornography or other items in the home that may not have belonged to the accused person.

Because it is so easy to be convicted of a sex crime when you may have done nothing wrong, it is vital for you to have legal counsel and representation if you are accused of a one of these crimes.  These cases are often very emotional, so it is important to have a criminal defense attorney who can sift through the rumor and innuendo swirling around the case and present only the facts to a jury or judge.  Successful sex crimes defenses often rest on the ability of a criminal defense attorney to protect the rights of the accused and to have charges dismissed or reduced before they ever reach a court of law.

Contact a criminal defense attorney immediately if you are accused of any type of sex crime.  A conviction could not only mean years in prison but also a permanent criminal record as a sex offender.  In general, it is wise to avoid pleading guilty to any type of sex crime charge until you have spoken to an attorney with experience in dealing with sex crime cases.