Ann Arbor lawyer deals with his own criminal case

The Ann Arbor community received quite a shock recently when a member of the Downtown Development Authority was arrested on sexual assault charges. The investigation into the alleged charge is still ongoing, but the initial details that have been released to the public will likely do a significant amount of damage to the man's present and future image.

Most importantly for the suspect, he is a lawyer - a profession that is absolutely dependent on other people's trust and confidence. On the other hand, the suspect is actually a criminal defense lawyer, so he may be able to assist quite a bit in crafting his own criminal defense strategy.

Allegations of sexual assault are not easy to overcome, even for first-time offenders. The charges can be extremely intimidating for an arrestee, especially because even a first offense could lead to a significant prison sentence or the requirement to list oneself on the sex offender registry - perhaps for life.

The charges in this case appear to be somewhat unique in that there are indications that the alleged victim was "incapacitated" at the time of the suspected sexual assault. Further details are needed to know how exactly the victim's alleged incapacity played into the case, but the incapacity appears by law to need to be some kind of physical or mental incapacity.

Whether a person's criminal history is long or non-existent, being charged with sexual assault can have long-term consequences that could devastate a person's life - for both the victim and the offender. This case will now play out through the judicial system, and only time will tell whether or not the parties in this case will experience that level of life change.

If you or a loved one has been charged with a sex crime, and want the help of local, experienced and dedicated attorney who specializes in criminal defense in Ann Arbor, please call Dan and his team at GLG Michigan. 

Source: Ann Arbor.com, "Charge against Ann Arbor DDA member indicates victim was 'incapacitated'," John Counts, Aug. 8, 2013