There’s behavior that’s considered criminal under the law, and there is behavior that most people consider appropriate in society. Between the two, there are large areas of gray, and there are times when actions within the gray areas can result in criminal charges that require a criminal defense.
Even many children can tell you that being charged with a crime doesn’t mean you’ve committed that crime — hence the law’s guilty until proven innocent requirement. Still, when individuals are accused of crimes or behavior that could be criminal, consequences aren’t always legal in nature. Accusations of a crime can cause social and career consequences for individuals, which is one reason why a strong and early defense is important.
One man in Newport News has been accused of sexual assault. According to reports, police are seeking the man, who was accused of assaulting a woman in a local Walmart store. The woman, who is 23 years old, reportedly told police that the man grabbed her buttocks as she was leaving the store.
At this time, there is no further report about the alleged sexual assault activity. Police have a surveillance image of the man in question and have published it on news outlets, seeking him in relation to the incident.
Several considerations are raised by police activity in this case. First, could the man face sexual assault charges for his actions? Though certainly not what many would call appropriate behavior, the actions might not be considered criminal by everyone. Second, the man’s personal and professional life could be impacted by the public accusations. In such cases, seeking early criminal defense help may alleviate some negative consequences of actions and charges.
Source: WAVY 10, “Police seek man accused in NN sexual assault” Ginger Whitaker, Jul. 15, 2014