Crimes involving sexual assault, inappropriate touching or any type of sexual misconduct are generally treated by authorities as a serious offense and are prosecuted aggressively. Furthermore, the accusation of a sex crime can do irreparable damage to a person’s reputation. They can also wreak chaos on families and make it exceedingly difficult to get a job in the future.
The problem with these types of crimes is that they often come down to one person’s word against another’s. That’s the case with one Florida man who is facing charges of sexual assault. He was cleaning the roof at a famous South Beach nightclub when the elevator doors opened to reveal an apparently intoxicated naked woman. She was lost and later told police she wasn’t sure how she’d gotten onto the roof in the first place. According to reports, she asked the man if he could swipe his keycard to reopen the elevator for her. That’s when she says the man touched her inappropriately.
With no known surveillance video, and little other evidence to speak of, it’s the woman’s story against the man’s, which may make it difficult for prosecutors to proceed. There was also a statement alleged to have been made by the suspect and in the police report with a vague admission of guilt. The man denies the statement was ever something he said. Assumptions may be made as to why, but the man has already lost his job.
Time will tell how this case plays out, but if you find yourself facing allegations of sex crimes like online solicitation, sexual assault or domestic abuse, the repercussions can be severe. The last thing you want to do is face them alone. A Florida attorney may be able conduct his or her own investigation into the incident using computer forensics, surveillance video and witness accounts to build a case.
Source: local10.com, “Man accused of sexual assault at hotel speaks out,” July 1, 2014