If you have been arrested and charged with sexual assault, the first and most important thing you have to do is contact a criminal defense lawyer. Having a criminal defense lawyer on your side it the smartest and most effective way to build your case.

Case Study

According to an article written by Eliot Kleinberg, a writer for the Palm Beach Post, a 17-year-old girl came forward with a horrifying story. The article is transcribed below:

A shoving match erupted this morning after a bond hearing for a man accused of raping a girl more than 50 times, starting when she was about 11.

The girl gave birth to Rafael Remize Allen's child on July 29, two days before she came forward, according to a report.

Friends and relatives of both Allen, 41, and the family of his alleged victim scuffled and traded numerous profanities at the door to the courtroom of the Palm Beach County Jail.

The brouhaha continued into the parking lot, where Palm Beach County Sheriff's deputies separated the parties and sent them on their way. It appeared no arrests were made; a spokesman could not immediately confirm that.

Allen, of Lake Worth, is charged with sexual assault on a victim 16 to 17, sexual assault on a victim under 12, and child cruelty.

This morning, Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Krista Marx ordered Allen held without bond.

According to a sheriff's report, the girl, now 17, told investigators that at first she was too afraid of him to resist, but that later he used force to have his way. She said the last encounter was in April 2009.

She said Allen was the only person with whom she ever had sex. A DNA test later gave virtually a 100 percent chance that Allen was the child's father, the report said.

Sexual Assault and the Law

Sexual assault, also known as sexual battery, in the state of Florida is a serious offense. As stated in Florida Statute 794.011:

"A person 18 years of age or older who commits sexual battery upon, or in an attempt to commit sexual battery injures the sexual organs of, a person less than 12 years of age commits a capital felony punishable by death, or life imprisonment and ineligibility for parole."

Sexual Assault Defense

If you were charged with sexual battery, it is important to contact a criminal defense lawyer that understands the seriousness of the charge and knows how to defend against it. A knowledgeable criminal defense attorney should have extensive experience representing people charged with sexual assault and battery. A criminal defense lawyer’s team will review the evidence and conduct private investigations in order to find holes in the prosecution's case.