Few crimes carry as much stigma as crimes against children. Those accused typically face ostracism, limitations on their freedom, and judgment before they have ever set foot in court or been found guilty of anything.
Being convicted of a crime against a child usually carries consequences in addition to jail and discharge from the military. Loss of custody, sex offender registration, and inability to get certain jobs can result from being convicted. It is particularly important when facing allegations of child crimes that you have an experienced and effective advocate to defend you.
Physical Abuse of a Child
Defending against allegations of physical abuse of a child requires the ability to understand medical evidence and know which medical experts are necessary to expose weaknesses in the prosecution’s case. The criminal defense attorneys at KMD have experience handling allegations of child abuse, and know how to sort through the medical records and imaging that are likely part of your case. Our criminal defense attorneys know how to assemble and collaborate with the team of medical experts and legal professionals needed to solve your case.
Internet Crimes Against Children
Law enforcement entities are using the internet as a key tool in catching adults seeking sexual relationships or conversations with underage children. “To Catch a Predator”- type operations have become a method law enforcement is using to arrest people having sexual conversations or seeking sexual relationships with underage people over the internet. However, your rights to not disappear when you log in to your computer.
If you are facing accusations of a crime for a conversation or actions on the internet, there are a number of legal hurdles law enforcement and the prosecution must jump through correctly in order for you to be found guilty. Defenses like entrapment are often applicable in these cases. The criminal defense attorneys at KMD know how to evaulate the evidence in your case and successfully defend you where law enforcement or the prosecution has violated your rights.
Child Sexual Abuse
Child sexual abuse allegations often arise in the context of fractured family relationships. Divorce and custody disputes are often the backdrop of these allegations, and allegations of sexual abuse can divide a family very quickly. Defending against allegations of child sexual abuse requires not just knowledge of the law, but the ability to navigate complicated family relationships and understanding the key component these relationships have in allegations of sexual abuse of a child.
Another key factor in fighting allegations of child sexual abuse is the ability to evaulate the child’s interview with law enforcement, child protective services, counselors, and other adults. Children can be influenced by statements or reactions from others when discussing the allegations. Adults can purposefully, or even unconsciously and inadvertently, influence what a child reports through their own statements and actions. Defending against allegations of child sexual abuse requires a defense lawyer who can detect where these influences have occurred and explain how they create untrue allegations.
In most cases of child sexual abuse, the child making the allegations has a prior relationship with the person accused. This can make defending against accusations of sexual abuse from a child more challenging because the accused may be the child’s father or close relative, and still want the best for the child making allegations. Testifying at a court-martial can be a very traumatizing experience for a child.
We don’t take the approach that the ends justify any means. At KMD, our military defense attorneys know how to strike the balance between defending you and minimizing the trauma to the child from participating in trial. We have found through our combined 20+ years litigating child sex abuse cases that the best results come when the child is treated with compassion and respect.
The defense attorneys at KMD have the skills and experience in child sexual abuse cases to defend you while keeping the well-being of the child and relationships in mind.
Child Pornography
The rise of the internet and different technologies means that cases involving child pornography are increasingly complicated, both digitally and legally. Allegations of possession, viewing, production, or distribution of child pornography typically involve digital forensic evidence that is well beyond the understanding of a lay person. Digital forensic reports are often confusing, contain terms that take expertise to understand, and usually have portions that are not admissible at trial. Legally, child pornography cases present complex evidentiary issues, and have been the source of many recent appellate decisions limiting what can be presented in sentencing against a person accused of child pornography crimes.
It is not enough for the prosecution to show that images or videos were on your device. Depending on the charges against you, the prosecution must also prove that the images constitute child pornography under the legal definition, your knowledge that you were possessing the images, or that the images themselves were actually viewed by you. To defend against these allegations, you need a defense attorney with the knowledge of digital forensic evidence and techniques to closely examine the prosecution’s evidence and find where the case against you falls short.
Abby’s unique experience in the Air Force JAG Corps put her in the position to work extremely closely with the experts who handle child pornography cases. She has a level of understanding and familiarity with the process, tools, reports, and terminology involved in litigating child pornography cases that is unrivaled by other military defense counsel.
Choosing the Right Defense Attorney
The military defense attorneys at KMD have both the breadth and depth of knowledge and experience needed to defend you if you’ve been accused of crimes against children. In addition to knowing the law and having the expertise to understand the evidence, we understand the often-complicated family situation that gives rise to these types of allegations. Call for a free consultation.
