Singer R. Kelly Acquitted of Sex Crimes
Posted on June 13, 2008
Filed Under Celebrities, Child Abuse, Criminal Law, Felonies, Law, News, Sex Offenders |
Jurors weren’t 100% sure that the man in the child pornography video was R&B superstar R. Kelly. Kelly was acquitted of child pornography charges today in a case that dragged slowly through the court system, repeatedly snaring headlines. Kelly and his alleged under-aged partner both steadfastly denied that they were the people depicted in the explicit pornographic video. In the end it came down to a mole on the back. The man in the video had one and Kelly didn’t. In the minds of the jury, prosecutors did not remove reasonable doubt.
Child pornography is a heinous sex crime and punishment should be severe. But whether you believe the jury was correct in acquitting R. Kelly or not, in America everyone has a right to a fair trial and the burden of proof is on the prosecution. The hallmark of American justice is that you are innocent until proven guilty.
While many are justly accused of sex crimes, there are many who are unjustly accused. New DNA evidence has exonerated hundreds of people who have been imprisoned for rapes and other sex crimes they did not commit. Accusation of a sex crime can be almost as devastating as conviction. Those accused can lose their jobs, social standing and reputations even if later exonerated.
If you are accused of a sex crime, time is of the essence. The faster you consult a skilled criminal defense attorney with an expertise in handling sex crime cases, the sooner you will be protected. In California, sex crimes are vigorously pursued and prosecuted. Many District Attorney offices have special Sex Crimes Units dedicated to the aggressive prosecution of sex crimes. While most sex crimes are prosecuted as felonies in California, lesser offenses can be charged as misdemeanors. The decision to charge a crime as a misdemeanor or felony rests with the prosecutor. In certain cases, a knowledgeable criminal defense attorney, when contacted early enough, may be able to minimize sex offense charges.
-LegalPro
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