Imagine that someone accuses you of a crime. It can be any crime. Maybe it’s theft. Maybe it’s sexual assault. Maybe it’s simply an accusation that you’ve breached the peace.
Now imagine that the accusation is false. How does it make you feel to be falsely accused? How does it feel to be arrested and compelled to appear in court?
And what about the almost inevitable article in the local news that very often includes your mug shot?
It’s devastating. It undermines a person’s sense of identity and their sense of self worth. Everything that is concrete in life feels as though it’s in jeopardy: family, employment, reputation.
Law enforcement, lawyers and judges too often give only passing thought to whether someone may be falsely accused and to the desperately painful repercussions of a false accusation.
A false accusation and arrest plunges a lance deep into the heart of who we are and what we stand for. It decimates our trust in police and our courts. It can undercut our faith in people everywhere.
And the terrible injustice is that even if the case is won outright through dismissal or an acquittal after trial, the damage is done. The suspicion and the association with the original accusation can never completely return the accused back to where they were before the accusation.
Representing someone who is falsely accused is a demanding and emotional experience for a conscientious attorney. Because the sense of unfairness and the intense desire for vindication very often collide head-on with practicality and expediency.
What I mean by that is that the defense of a Connecticut criminal case demands that a lawyer explain the risks and costs of trial balanced against the potential benefits of a plea bargain or applying for a diversion program that may lead to dismissal.
Not everyone can afford the financial, personal and emotional expense of fighting a case through trial. It’s our work at the Maddox Law Firm, but for the people we represent, the marathon march toward trial takes a heavy toll.
And when Connecticut provides first-time-offender, statutory diversion programs such as Accelerated Pretrial Rehabilitation, (A.R.), the risk of litigation and trial is often seen as irrational.
It can be a bitter pill to conclude a criminal case with a diversion program, even if it leads to dismissal. The conditions that may be required in order to reach dismissal inevitably pour salt in the wound. But – when there’s the certainty of dismissal and erasure, it’s very hard to dam the torpedos and surge full speed ahead toward an uncertain future.
It’s even harder when someone who has been falsely accused feels compelled to accept a plea bargain rather than risk a conviction and a worse post-trial penalty.
At the Maddox Law Firm, LLC, we strive and fight for our people through the storm of allegations, evidence, media coverage and the seemingly overwhelming emotions that are brought about by arrest. We are prepared to go to trial and to defend not only the accused, but the falsely accused. If you’re facing criminal investigation or arrest, call us today.
