Five men, including two from Colorado, were charged in connection of a series of alleged rapes that occurred. However, charges against two of the men have been dropped.
The two men were charged with counts of aiding and abetting a felony in connection with a series of claimed sexual assaults. The other three men are still facing a variety of charges pending the outcome of a number of preliminary hearings.
the ones mentioned above. For one, simply because one is charged of a crime does not mean that they are guilty. Also, the burden of proof is upon the prosecution to show that a crime actually occurred. And we cannot find a person guilty based upon association with other individuals that may have been guilty of a crime.
There is often a case of mistaken identity when it comes to sexual assault. Occasionally, a person seen in the vicinity is incorrectly associated with a sexual assault taking place. And finally, though law enforcement officers always need to take what has been reported seriously, purported victims of a sexual assault sometimes have a vendetta against the person that they accuse of such a crime.
The allegations of rape can be understandably devastating towards one’s reputation and ability to be hired on or hold onto a job. Despite the charges being dropped against the two men, their names have been plastered all over the newspapers. Criminal defense attorneys will do what they can to minimize that damage when false or incorrect allegations occur.
Source: NP Telegraph, “Rape charges dropped,” by Andrew Bottrell, Dec. 4, 2012