The Los Angeles Times is reporting that a registered sex offender is charged with attempting to kidnap a woman from a MTA station in South L.A.
The 46-year-old defendant faces a third strike under California's three strikes law, which could result in a sentence of 25 years to life in prison. He is charged with kidnapping, making criminal threats and false imprisonment.
Our Pasadena sex crimes defense attorneys know nothing more about this case than what we have read in the newspaper. But several observations can be made. First, the defendant, who remains innocent until proven guilty, is referred to as a "registered sex offender." In fact, he will be referred to as a sex offender in all future dealings with law enforcement. It is a stigma associated with sex crimes in Pasadena and the surrounding area that is not associated with other crimes.
Secondly, he is facing a third strike -- California's three strikes law means it is critical to contest any felony charge. Violating the three-strikes law can mean a sentence of life in prison for relatively minor offenses. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, this defendant is facing very, very serious criminal charges. Whether those same charges would have been levied had police not been dealing with a "registered sex offender" is open for debate. We would certainly argue law enforcement may have been more lenient, not to mention more prone to listening to his side of the story.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office reports responding to a disturbance at the Avalon Boulevard station in Green Meadows on Thursday afternoon. Commuters had dragged a man to the ground amid reports that he had grabbed an unidentified woman from behind and attempted to drag her away.
Despite reports of being wrestled to the ground by as many as 10 commuters, the defendant freed himself and jumped aboard a train. He was arrested when the train stopped at the Imperial station. The woman fled the scene but contacted investigators after seeing the story on the late local news.
This case has all kinds of issues, not the least of which is the reliance upon eyewitness identification and the mob mentality. This guy wrestled himself free in a fight with 10 commuters. Really? Often in such cases no one story is correct. Indeed, the news even incorrectly reported that the alleged victim was a teenage girl.
In such cases, the defendant will be best served by consulting with an experienced and aggressive criminal defense lawyer in Los Angeles who understands how to defend clients against sex charges. The only thing that matters is what can be proven in a court of law.
If you need to speak to a sex crimes attorney in Orange County, contact the California Legal Team at (310) 497-0321 to discuss your rights.
