Greenwich Statutory Rape Trials

Greenwich statutory rape trials take place in Stamford Superior Court, which is a state court located in Stamford. Defendants have the choice of a jury trial or a bench trial.

If you face statutory rape allegations, consult with an experienced CT defense attorney as soon as possible. A top Greenwich lawyer could fight for an optimum outcome to your case.

Can the Accuser Drop Statutory Rape Charges in CT?

The accuser does not have the ability to drop the charges against someone accused of statutory rape. Once the person has been arrested, the discretion lies solely within the state attorney to either drop the charge or continue pursuing it.

However, if the accuser refuses to testify and does not want to come to court, the prosecutor, in a lot of cases, will end up dropping the charge if there is no other independent evidence to collaborate the allegations. A lot of times with these cases, the only person who has personal knowledge of the accusation is the complaining party. Without them, everything else is hearsay or is in violation of the confrontation clause, and the trial really cannot proceed without that testimony.

Bench vs Jury Trials

With a statutory rape charge in Greenwich, the defendant and only the defendant has the choice to choose either a judge or a jury trial. Most defense attorneys will speak with the accused about that and will make the decision on a case-by-case basis, depending on the facts and the allegations.

The defense attorneys may choose one over the other depending on the facts. If the facts are very sensitive – for example, if the alleged victim is a younger child or there is something that makes the allegations especially egregious – then the defense attorney may contemplate using a judge trial. Judges have seen it all before and are likely to focus just on the law without getting overly sympathetic or emotional.

If none of those things are present, then the defense attorney might likely recommend a jury trial, since in those cases, it will be six people trying to come to a unanimous decision. All six of them have to agree before the defendant could be found guilty.

Jury Selection Process

In Connecticut, the jury selection process involves individual voir dire. The defense attorney and the prosecutor ask each juror questions individually without anyone else besides the judge present in the room. It gives the attorney a little better idea of who the potential juror is as a person.

Preparing for Trial in Greenwich

It is important for an attorney to prepare the accused for trial because most people have not been to a trial before and do not know the process or what to expect. Before a Greenwich statutory rape trial, the defendant should know what jury selection looks like, what to expect to hear from the alleged victim, and what to expect from the different witnesses who will be testifying. Nothing should take them by surprise if they are working with an experienced attorney.

An attorney will want to prepare the accused for a couple of different things. First of all, they want to make sure they are dressed appropriately. They will want to talk to them about maintaining composure, as they have to sit there and listen to testimony against them. They will want to talk to them about body language, such as not looking aggressively toward the alleged victim or anyone who is testifying.

Additionally, if it is a case where the defendant is going to be testifying, the defense attorney will want to prepare them for their testimony and go over the questions that they will be asking them. They will also want to prepare them for cross-examination, where the prosecution will get to question them. They want to make sure that they understand areas to stay away from or areas they do want to talk about.

Is Testifying in Court Difficult?

Even if they are innocent, testifying is always going to be difficult just because of the high-pressure situation. The defendant will have the opportunity to have a direct examination with their own attorney, but then they will be open to cross-examination by the state attorney.

Even if they are innocent, the prosecutor clearly thinks they are not innocent. The prosecutor will ask close-ended questions and it could be a high-pressure stressful situation because the person is facing a felony criminal conviction. There are certainly high stakes involved.

Can a Criminal History Impact a Statutory Rape Trial?

Someone’s statutory rape trial can be impacted if they have a criminal history. A lot of convictions are admissible if the defendant ends up taking the stand especially if it is a felony conviction. A lot of times, those will come into evidence and the jury can consider that when they consider the defendant’s credibility.

Reach Out to a Greenwich Statutory Rape Attorney

If you need expert advice about Greenwich statutory rape trials, contact a top CT sex crimes attorney. The best way to fight against a conviction is with an experienced and skilled lawyer by your side. Call today to begin working towards a positive resolution to your case.