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What to Do if You Have Been Wrongfully Accused of Sexual Assault

Posted on September 19, 2023 in Criminal Defense,Sex Crimes

Even if a sexual assault accusation is false, it could permanently affect your life. It is critical to take any allegations of sexual assault or abuse against you seriously. Take certain steps to protect yourself as much as possible during this uncertain time. Most importantly, contact a criminal defense attorney at AZ Defenders right away for assistance.

Use Your Right to Remain Silent

One thing you should not do under any circumstances is speak to the police about the case without your attorney present. Even if an officer seems friendly or says he or she believes you are innocent, do not say anything until your Phoenix sexual assault defense lawyer is in the room with you. 

The police can twist your own words around and use them against you in a court of law. Even if you know you are innocent and have been wrongfully accused, you may unintentionally say something self-incriminating during a police interrogation if you do not have a lawyer present to protect you.

Contact an Experienced Criminal Defense Attorney

Do not take a false accusation of sexual assault lightly. Your future is on the line; if a prosecutor chooses to pursue charges against you, you could be at risk of going to jail or prison and being put on Arizona’s Sex Offender Registry for life. 

Contact an experienced and highly reputable criminal defense lawyer at the very beginning of your case. Hiring a premier defense lawyer can give you the best odds of beating a false accusation, avoiding a wrongful conviction, and protecting your freedom and reputation.

phoenix criminal defense attorney

Take Your Defense Attorney’s Advice

Your criminal lawyer can help you through all the stages of the legal process. Your lawyer can investigate the alleged incident, discover witnesses, collect evidence, negotiate with the prosecution and – if necessary – represent you at a criminal trial in Arizona. During your case, listen carefully to your attorney and take his or her advice. Trust that your Phoenix defense attorney knows what he or she is doing and is on your side.

Do Not Contact the Accuser

No matter how tempted you are to contact the person who wrongfully accused you, refrain from doing so. You might think you can clear the issue up on your own – for example, if it is just a simple misunderstanding – but contacting the alleged victim could make things worse for you. 

Any contact you have with the accuser could be used as evidence against you, connecting you to the victim. In addition, the accuser may have obtained a no-contact (restraining) order against you. Breaking it could lead to another criminal charge. Allow your attorney to handle communications with the other side of the case for you.

Start Documenting Your Experience

Documenting everything could help you prove a false accusation. Write down as many details as you can about the event or incident in question. Record any time you were in the same room as the alleged victim, along with the names of any witnesses. Your lawyer may also recommend steps such as submitting to psychological testing or a polygraph (lie detector) test. An attorney can help you hire experts and collect evidence to support your version of events.

 If you are facing false accusations of sexual assault, do not wait – contact AZ Defenders at (480) 908-9321 to schedule a free case consultation right away. We can provide aggressive criminal defense during this difficult time.