Due to all the recent sexual assault allegations surrounding actor Bill Cosby, the Los Angeles Police Department has decided to examine previous allegations against him of sexual assault.
Allegations of Sexual Assault Against Cosby
While previous sexual assault allegations against Bill Cosby were considered too old to pursue, in light of more current allegations LAPD Chief Charlie Beck recently announced his detectives would be investigating all sexual assault complaints against the actor, including those that may have exceeded the statute of limitations. Recently a new case has been filed with LAPD.
Old Sexual Assault Cases Revisited
While Chief Beck’s statements related more to the Cosby allegations, it also represents a new movement for the investigation of older sexaual assault cases in order to establish the patterns of behavior in these cases, especially where the suspects were later accused and/or convicted in another crime. Chief Beck stated, “We don’t turn people away because things are out of statute. You come to us, especially with a sexual allegation, we will work with you. We address these things seriously, and it’s not just because it’s Mr. Cosby.”
Rape Allegations Laws in California
The legal deadline for adult victim rape allegations under California law is 10 years. For assaults involving minors, prosecution for the assault can be pursued if it occurred after 1988. If more recent incidents occur that relate to older allegations, LAPD officials can open sexual assault allegations that are outside of the statute of limitation, such as in the Cosby case. As stated by LAPD spokesman Cmdr. Andrew Smith, “Unfortunately, sexual offenses tend to be serial offenses. You find victim after victim after victim.”
LAPD Capt. Fabian Lizarraga further stated, “All victims deserve to be heard. It doesn’t matter if it’s out of statute or not.”
If you’ve been accused of sexual assault, you need the expert advice of criminal attorneys. Contact Sevens Legal Criminal Lawyers, for a free consultation.
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San Diego, CA 92103
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