Sexual Abuse of a Minor Over a Period of Years
My question involves criminal law for the state of: NJ
Ok here is the story. my aunt and husband were arrested almost 2 weeks ago being accused of sexual assault on the son,(her stepson, husbands son) from 2008-2013. he is now 19. a little backround,she met her husband about 6 years ago, he lived in the apt upstairs with his then girlfriend and 14 year old son. things went bad and the girlfriend left and my aunt started dating him, before long he moved in with her, his son went back to Florida with his mom. His son has had a history of mental illness, he has been back and forth between his mother and father, never wanted to go to school, always out drinking, yes his father was not a good role model pretty much never cared what hi did, he has tried committing suicide many times, he clearly needed help. well fast forward to now and many years later, he had wanted to move in with my aunt and his dad, but they said no, they argued on the phone, Facebook and his mother got involved, and he tried killing himself again, after many excuses of wanting to kill himself he came up with the charges that my aunt and his dad forced him to have sex with my aunt in 2008 on several occasion's, supplied him with drugs and alcohol. so they are charged some pretty hefty charges of which bail is $650,000.00 with no 10%. of course our family does not have that, so they sit and wait they cant afford a lawyer and have to get a public defender, they have no proof of this whatsoever, nothing, only his word against theirs. so my question is this. is it possible they can be found guilty just on his word and no proof at all? will they look at his past mental illness and his attempted suicides and that he is unstable. this is just a nightmare and is ruining their life, I know for a fact that none of this is true.
Re: Sexual Abuse of a Minor Over a Period of Years
Believe it or not, being sexually abused can make a child attempt suicide and become mentally unstable.
Yes, you can be convicted of sexually abusing child, even if there was no independent third party standing by to witness the crime.
Your aunt's lawyer will find out what evidence the prosecutor has through the course of discovery.
Re: Sexual Abuse of a Minor Over a Period of Years
I understand that but this kid was having problems way before my aunt was involved. I know 100% she would never ever engage in this and if she knew he was being abused by the father she would have reported it and we have contacted the ex girlfriend and she has never ever seen him engage or act inappropriately towards his son. its just so weird that at 19 years old he is bringing this up now because he couldn't move in with them and if they were abusing him why would you want to move back??? Im sorry im not buying it coming from a kid with mental illness charging a woman who has never ever been in trouble works 6 days a weeks 12 hour days, and most of her free time with her sick and ailing father now and back then a mother with brain cancer and dying, the truth will prevail and they will lose everything for nothing. and my aunt does not have a lawyer she will be appointed a public defender, and they have no evidence what so ever, I know for a fact.
Re: Sexual Abuse of a Minor Over a Period of Years
Your aunt can raise her defenses, if necessary, to the jury.
Re: Sexual Abuse of a Minor Over a Period of Years
If I were in your aunts shoes, I would hock everything I have to pay for a private attorney who specializes in Sex Offense Defense. Public defenders get given only so much money to work with per client. and most only get around $1500.00 to defend a felony. In Washington State, a study was done of more than 20 people who had been charged with sex offenses. Every person who hired a private attorney was found not guilty and every person who had a public defender was found guilty. Later the State Appeals court overturned the majority of the convictions because of faulty evidence. The people were innocent. If your family cares, they need to take up a collection to help her. I agree the charge sounds suspicious. That's why she needs an attorney that will work for her and is not so overloaded they don't do a proper job.
Re: Sexual Abuse of a Minor Over a Period of Years
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Quoting
nite_riderusa
If I were in your aunts shoes, I would hock everything I have to pay for a private attorney who specializes in Sex Offense Defense. Public defenders get given only so much money to work with per client. and most only get around $1500.00 to defend a felony. In Washington State, a study was done of more than 20 people who had been charged with sex offenses. Every person who hired a private attorney was found not guilty and every person who had a public defender was found guilty. Later the State Appeals court overturned the majority of the convictions because of faulty evidence. The people were innocent. If your family cares, they need to take up a collection to help her. I agree the charge sounds suspicious. That's why she needs an attorney that will work for her and is not so overloaded they don't do a proper job.
I'm also in WA. Do you have the link for that study?