Alabama sex crimes cases can be difficult to build a defense for unless there is forensic evidence or there are witnesses, and oftentimes it just involves a single witness making an allegation. There are many times when people are prosecuted where there is a lack of corroborating evidence, but many prosecutors are willing to prosecute that type of offense that does not have corroboration, as opposed to charging some other type of offense that it is a crime against the person in the same class of crimes of assault and homicide.
Sex crimes in Alabama are treated very seriously, so their investigations are extensive. If you are being investigated for a sex crime in Alabama, it is important that you retain the help of an experienced sex crimes attorney who can help protect your rights during the investigation.
Investigation ProcessAlabama sex crimes investigations normally start with some type of complaint, whether it comes from a counselor at school, a parent, or comes directly from the person who is been assaulted, whether they are an adult or a child and a police agency is contacted. If the crime is alleged to have been recently committed, then there is going to be some effort at trying to collect forensic evidence by various agencies.
There are many jurisdictions throughout the state that have a rape response team, they actually have trained nurses and doctors whose job is to collect forensic samples to document injuries, bruising, and more by photographs, as well as by sending blood, urine, and semen samples off for DNA type testing.
Oftentimes there is also a special unit called in for Alabama sex crimes investigations that deals with sex crimes that have some sensitivities in interviewing people who are alleged to be victims of sexual type crimes, and sometimes there is even a team approach, dealing specifically with children. Many jurisdictions have a place where children are interviewed outside of a normal police setting in a friendlier environment, with people that are said to have some type of specialized training in interviewing people who have been alleged to be victims of sexual type crimes.
Final Approach to InvestigationsThe last aspect of any type of investigation involving a sexual offense in Alabama is the confrontation with the alleged perpetrator. That is usually the last thing that occurs before a case is presented for prosecution, some effort at trying to get a statement from the person who has been alleged to be the perpetrator.
It presents a much different case to defend where a client has not been interviewed or has exercised their Fifth Amendment privilege to not be interviewed by a police or by any of the investigators involved in the particular offense. But if they can get a statement of admission, then that is certainly something that they always try to do and it can make a difference in the outcome of many prosecutions.
Benefit of Immediate RepresentationThe sex crimes an individual may face in Alabama can be incredibly overwhelming and harshly penalized. The sooner a person can obtain a lawyer, the better off they may be. There are a lot of important things that must be accomplished early on to ensure that a person faces a shot at a successful outcome.
Sometimes, police unwittingly act upon faulty or erroneous information. Being able to have a lawyer present the facts appropriately and answer questions promptly can be important in moving the case forward. An individual should not be in contact with the police agency immediately, but should instead focus on immediately securing the assistance of a lawyer.
Working With an AttorneySex crimes cases can be complex. Experience is always a key to success and having a skilled lawyer who is motivated to help that person who believes in their job and believes in the constitution. It is easy for someone to make this type of allegation, but it is very hard to defend against. Often, it is a one-on-one scenario, where one party says one thing and the other says another, so it is essential knowing how to cross examine the complaining witness, how to cross-examine the forensic people if there has been evidence collection, knowing the types of testing that they utilize, and understanding the procedures that do prove an investigation.
Experience is very important to any person who wishes to hire a lawyer to defend themselves on an Alabama sex crime and who wishes to have their rights fully protected during a sex crimes investigation in Alabama.