What Should I Do if I’m Falsely Accused of Sexual Assault? Combs Waterkotte attorneys Christopher Combs and Joshua Boardman discuss everything you need to know about Illinois sex crime charges, including sexual assault, sexual abuse, rape, and more.
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Interview Transcript
Scott Michael Dunn: So, let’s get into false accusations and protective steps. What should I do if I’m falsely accused of a sexual crime?
Christopher Combs: Hire a lawyer. As Josh said earlier and that we discussed, what do you want to do when you’re falsely accused of something? You want to scream out your innocence. Obviously, that is your knee-jerk reaction, but that is not the action you should take whatsoever. That is when you hire an attorney, you give your version of events to the attorney, and again, that’s when I become a big proponent of the polygraph. Just put a lawyer between yourself and law enforcement because, again allegations are enough to result in criminal charges if false allegations are made and law enforcement take those allegations and they believe them to be true, which often they do, and they take them to the state’s attorney or assistant state’s attorney, and they believe them to be true, which allegations are enough, testimony’s enough, they sign off on, “Look, there is probable cause that a felony was committed here or a misdemeanor.” Then boom, you’re charged. So then it’s our job to prove that it’s false, that they’re false allegations. And that’s tough. Sometimes you can’t prove a negative, right? You can only say, “I didn’t do this.” But again, it’s our job to challenge the truthfulness, the veracity of the allegations, false or not false, really. Josh?
Joshua Boardman: Yes, I would agree.
