Sex crime charges tend to cause a great deal of controversy in the press and the community, especially when the accused person is well-known. However, it is still possible in Michigan to receive a fair trial and overcome charges unsupported by the evidence.
Recently, former Michigan State University basketball star Mateen Cleaves successfully got charges of sexual conduct, unlawful imprisonment and other counts dropped. The judge in the case ruled after preliminary hearings that the prosecution had not shown enough evidence for the case to move forward.
Prosecutors accused Cleaves of forcing a woman to stay with him in a motel room and sexually assaulting her. Following testimony by the alleged victim, Cleaves’ attorney filed a motion to dismiss, which the judge granted.
The judge found that the alleged victim’s testimony about being wrongly imprisoned “did not add up,” as the Detroit Free Press put it. She noted that the woman voluntarily went out for drinks with Cleaves after meeting him at a golf course, and had opportunities to flee or alert other people she was being held against her will. Video footage at the motel appears to show the woman fixing her hair and makeup in the car before entering the motel room.
Regarding the rest of the charges, the judge ruled that she “had not heard enough to bind them over,” and dismissed them all.
Sex crime charges are very serious, and require immediate action. Your first step after an arrest should be to contact a criminal defense attorney to begin protecting your rights and investigating the evidence against you.