I am constantly coming across news stories where the media publicizes the names and pictures of people who have been accused of a crime. The way the stories are presented, everyone assumes guilt. Now, law enforcement agencies are joining in on these witch-hunts and publicly shaming people who have been accused of certain crimes – especially crimes that are sexually based. This gross injustice recently happened to a Parker gentleman, and he was blasted all over social media and the news as one of the nine men caught in a Soliciting a Child for Prostitution sting set-up by the Parker Police Department. However, after reviewing the evidence, the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office looked at the evidence and realized they could not prove this man committed a crime. That’s right – he was never even charged with a crime, yet his name and picture are now associated with Soliciting a Child for Prostitution.
An Apology is the Least the Parker Police Department Should Do
The man who was falsely associated with this sting is demanding the Parker Police Department apologize for their error. The police generally will not issue apologies for these situations, taking the stance that they never said the man was guilty. They may not have come right out and said it, but by issuing the press release with the names and photographs of those connected to the case, they know the public presumption of guilt is there. So much for the police upholding a person’s presumption of innocence. This man has to deal with the damage to his reputation for the rest of his life, because, as we all know, once something is put on the internet, it is out there forever. It basically gave this poor man a lifetime sentence, as he will have to explain away these sex offense allegations every time his name is Googled.
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In fact, the Parker Police Department owes an apology to all the men who were accused of this crime. The constitutional presumption of innocence flies out the window when these accusations are made public. It is not the public’s job to decide if these men are innocent or guilty- that job belongs to the court and a jury of peers who have been instructed on the law and presented with all the evidence. If one or more of these men are found innocent of the charges, they will be facing the same social stigma of someone convicted of a sex offense because of the Parker Police Department’s decision to publish these names and photos connected to the Soliciting a Child for Prostitution charges.
Why is There No Protection from This Presumption of Guilt in Fort Collins and Larimer County?
Law enforcement agencies have made press releases a common practice.
In Larimer, Boulder, and Grand County, law enforcement agencies have made press releases, like the one in the case above, a common practice, particularly in Prostitution cases. They want the attention and accolades from the public. Good publicity for a police department is hard to come by. On the surface, they want it to look like a great deed was achieved, but in reality, there is no telling whether any of the men accused actually committed a crime. It especially brings about questions of police tactics when someone is so brazenly falsely accused, like the man from the case above. I wish I could say this was a single incident, but unfortunately, this is happening all over Colorado in places like Fort Collins, Loveland, and Estes Park. We are always ready to go to bat for our clients and we work tirelessly to prove their innocence.
If you or someone you love has been falsely accused of a crime, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact the best criminal defense attorneys from the O’Malley Law Office at 970-658-0007 to schedule a free consultation. Together, we can protect your future.