Last week’s press release from Connecticut’s prestigious boarding school Choate Rosemary Hall revealed that sex abuse allegations can trigger a police investigation and can lead to criminal arrests and civil lawsuits, even 30 years later.
The accusations are concerning to Connecticut boarding school parents as well as many of the best Connecticut criminal law firms who focus their practices on Connecticut statutory rape arrests, sex crimes and school abuse cases. According to the New York Times report, the Connecticut boarding school’s investigation accused at least 12 teachers – many accomplished, veteran teachers – of sexually molesting, and in one case, forcibly raping Choate students.
None of the alleged sex abuse incidents were reported to police, and some of these sex abuse accusations dated back to the 1960s.
Yes. As serious and disturbing as some of these sex abuse accusations are, it’s troubling to many of the top New Haven and Hartford Connecticut criminal lawyers who handle rape and sex abuse cases that arrests and civil lawsuit can come up 20-30 years later based solely on verbal testimony and hazy recollections.
No physical evidence. No rape kit. No video surveillance evidence. No eyewitness evidence or testimony. No love letters. No DNA or forensic evidence. Just verbal recollection and testimony from alleged victims.
Yet police can sometimes arrest Connecticut teachers and college professors on such little evidence. You can follow this link for more on fighting Connecticut statutory rape arrests.
Boarding school and college / university sex abuse, Title IX, and sex harassment seem to be a hot-button issue recently, with colleges and boarding schools working hard to educate their communities on reporting violations and enforcing violations under Title IX.
But as in any criminal investigation, Connecticut police MUST HAVE PROBABLE CAUSE to make an arrest for rape or sexual assault. While probable cause is not equivalent to the required “guilt beyond a reasonable doubt” that justifies a guilty finding in court, it is nevertheless a meaningful investigatory burden of proof that must be satisfied and reviewed by a Connecticut Superior Court judge.
Many of the best Connecticut criminal sex abuse criminal lawyers get calls from boarding school and college professors, or high school teachers, accused by Connecticut police of sex abuse or even statutory rape.
How you handle your first interaction with police can make the difference between avoiding criminal liability, or getting arrested and being sued civilly.
That’s why if you’ve been contacted by police about sex abuse accusations, then you should never speak with police until you’ve had a chance to consult with a top Connecticut criminal lawyer first. Tell the police politely that you will contact them once you’ve had a chance to consult a lawyer.
Don’t be intimidated by the Connecticut sex crimes detectives. If they want to ask you questions, then that means they are not there to arrest you. They cannot arrest you without an arrest warrant signed by a judge. They may use persuasive, aggressive or threatening investigative tactics to get you to speak, sometimes warning you what “could” happen to you in a worst-case scenario.
Again, don’t be pressured and tell them you will be in touch after you’ve spoken with a lawyer.
If you’ve been arrested or are being investigated for sex abuse at a Connecticut boarding school, private or public high school or Connecticut college or university, be sure to speak with a lawyer before speaking with the police. Your professional reputation is on the line, and it makes sense to understand your rights and the investigation process, especially with your professional reputation on the line.
The team of sex crimes and statutory rape attorneys at the Mark Sherman Law Firm routinely defend teachers, students and other clients in Connecticut sex abuse investigations and criminal arrests. Check out the Avvo.com certified client reviews of prior sex assault clients, and call us today. We can be reached at (203) 358-4700.
