The Real Damage of False Criminal Accusations

October 29, 2019 Posted in Felonies

Being falsely accused of a criminal act is one of the worst things that could happen to anyone. It can ruin your life. Plus it’s a waste of time, resources, and energy.

When someone is falsely accused and charged with that crime, there are only two possible outcomes:

• The falsely accused is exonerated and proclaimed innocent
• The falsely accused is wrongly convicted and sentenced to serve jail time

The first outcome is what most falsely accused defendants hope for. They believe that the truth will always prevail.

However, some of those who are falsely accused are found guilty and serve severe punishments, and these people lose the peaceful life for which they worked so hard.

They lose their jobs, their homes, their families, and their friends. People lose trust in them, and they feel helpless because there’s nothing they can do. When one is falsely accused, it is important to find the right people to help.

Circumstances Where Someone Might be Falsely Accused of Crimes

There are various reasons why, and scenarios in which someone might be falsely accused of a crime. Many of the prevalent crimes in which people are found to have been falsely accused are sex crimes. These crimes include rape, attempted rape, and other forms of sexual assault.

A person may be wrongfully accused of sexual assault when:

• The victim or witness has mistakenly identified the accused as the criminal
• The accused is currently in a tumultuous relationship and their partners falsely accuses them of sexual assault to inflict pain and suffering
• The accused has had a sexual encounter with someone who proposed casual sex and then used that encounter to frame them for rape or sexual assault

Other than sex crimes, false criminal accusations can also be commonly found in divorce cases. Often, the opposing parties opt to play dirty tricks against each other in order to get the upper hand.

Domestic violence is the most common type of false accusation used in divorce trials. Other criminal acts that may be brought up in divorce cases include the following:

• Sexual abuse
• Child abuse
• Drug use
• Illegal acts
• Promiscuity or adultery

Whatever the intentions of the complainant are, making false criminal accusations can drastically change someone’s life. Most of the time, even if proven innocent, they have difficulty getting their old life back.

What to Do When Faced with a False Criminal Accusation

When you are faced with a false criminal accusation, you SHOULD NOT do the following:

• Try to talk to the complainant (alleged victim) or witness
• Talk to officers without a lawyer present
• Volunteer to any kind of testing or permit searching without legal counsel
• Destroy or tamper with any evidence
• React violently or disorderly towards the complainant or the officers

Instead, you SHOULD do the following:

• Insist on your right to remain silent
• Call for a lawyer or attorney to represent you
• Gather any physical evidence including documents and records of communications
• Demand for search warrants before accommodating any search party
• List names of potential witnesses and other possible evidences

If you find yourself being falsely accused of a crime and need legal help for your case, you can count on the criminal attorneys from the Law Offices of Gary L Rohlwing. You can reach them at (623) 937-1692.