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Indie Rocker Fights Back After False Allegations Of Sex Crime

A famous musician is fighting back after he was falsely accused of a sex crime. The story provides lessons for anyone who faces false accusations of committing a sex crime.

Social media can provide an outlet for anyone with a computer. Unfortunately for some, this can lead to false allegations that spread throughout the Internet. This was recently highlighted when the lead singer of the indie rock band Bright Eyes was falsely accused of raping a woman ten years ago.

More on the Story

The incident began when a woman anonymously stated that she was raped by the musician in the comment section of a blog designed to allow women a place to preach “the gospel of the ‘unabashed self’,” according to a recent article in The Washington Post. According to the woman, she met the musician through mutual friends in celebration of her 16th birthday. She was a fan of his music, and claimed that this contributed to the fact that no one believed her when she initially spoke of the rape. The comment led to multiple responses and the author began a Tumblr account to further explain why she made the accusation online. In this account, she stated that she thought she was simply sharing her story with a few others who commented and was unaware of the larger audience she would reach.

Ultimately, her comment reached a very large audience. Almost 5,000 blogs addressed the accusations and various music sites ran articles addressing the issue. The story was even picked up by popular music magazine Spin. The magazine’s piece included a response from the musician explaining that he was pursuing a libel suit against the woman for the false accusations of committing the sex crime. Shortly after, the woman released a notarized statement explaining that her accusations were “100 percent false” and that she was “going through a difficult time in her life” trying to cope with her son’s illness.

What Coloradans Can Learn From This Story

Unfortunately, the musician’s tale is not unheard of. False allegations of heinous crimes happen. These accusations hurt both those who are legitimately victimized by these crimes and those who are wrongly accused. Even those who are clearly innocent are wise to take the allegations seriously. Harsh penalties can apply if the charge becomes a conviction. Depending on the details, a conviction for these crimes can come with a prison sentence ranging in length from months to a lifetime.

In addition to criminal penalties, a wide array of collateral consequences also causes issues for the accused. These issues can include everything from basic social stigma to difficulties seeing one’s own children.

The Importance of an Attorney

These are only a few of the issues that can arise when convicted of a sex crime in Colorado. Allegations can arise from a variety of situations, including a misunderstanding or later change of heart. Regardless of the reason behind the false accusations, it is important to fight to preserve your good name. Those charged with these crimes should take the allegations seriously and contact an experienced sex crimes lawyer.

Keywords: criminal defense false accusations sex crime