Sex Crimes Charges Are a Very Serious Matter from California to Connecticut

 Posted on November 20, 2017 in Sex Crimes

Last month, bombshell allegations were leveled at famed Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, ultimately resulting in his termination by the board of directors at his own company. Weinstein, along with his brother Bob, had previously been known best for Oscar-winning films produced by Miramax in the 1990s and Weinstein Brothers in the years since. While no legal charges have yet been leveled against Weinstein for his three decades of sexual misconduct, it stands to reason that a victim could in theory come forward.

Many of Weinstein’s previous victims, commonly women striving to make or maintain a career in the film industry, had been paid large sums of money in exchange for their silence with regard to Weinstein’s sexual misconduct. Known by insiders to be naked in the workplace – sometimes Los Angeles area hotel suites – Weinstein pressured actresses, including Ashley Judd, to give him a full body massage, neck massage, and watch him shower naked, among other things. Ms. Judd refused on all accounts, but other actresses, according to reports, left Mr. Weinstein’s hotel room “feeling violated.” More news is sure to come in the days following.

Defending Against a Sex Crime Charge in Connecticut

As Harvey Weinstein’s rise and fall illustrate, allegations of sex crimes can have very serious consequences. Sexual assault, sexual battery, rape, and statutory rape are among the types of sex crimes in Connecticut and elsewhere. Many college campuses are increasing efforts to both deter and punish sexual assaults, and both male and female public figures, including Meryl Streep and former Vice President Joe Biden, have spoken out about the issue. And few could forget the Catholic sex abuse scandal that has hurt so many young people in the Boston area and far beyond. With a sex crime charge, reputational damage follows quickly. With a conviction, jail time and fines are very real possibilities. Not every allegation is true, as can be observed from individuals on the Duke lacrosse team who were in recent years wrongly accused of misconduct.

Your Legal Rights in the Wake of a Sex Crime Charge in Connecticut

One thing is for sure – if you have been charged a sex crime in Connecticut, you need to take the charges very seriously and respond in a timely fashion as directed in the legal complaint against you. If you have been charged with a sex crime in the state of Connecticut, contact an experienced Norwalk criminal defense attorney.

Sources:

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/oct/09/actor-romola-garai-felt-violated-after-harvey-weinstein-encounter

https://www.jud.ct.gov/lawlib/law/rape.htm