One can only imagine the panic that a person would experience if he or she woke up to find a stranger in the house. In some situations, such panic can distort a person’s perception of reality, making it difficult to adequately describe and identify an alleged perpetrator. However, one man in Missouri has been accused of attempted rape after a woman claims someone broke into her house.
Reports indicate that the Department of Public Safety received a call about the incident just before 1 a.m. one morning in mid-December. The alleged victim claims that a male broke into her house and attempted to rape her. According to her reports, he eventually ran away.
Based on the description she gave officers, a man who has found nearby was arrested. The 28-year-old is currently being held on $500,000 bond. He faces multiple criminal charges, including burglary, attempted rape and elder abuse.
It is unclear if there is any evidence that links the Missouri man to the alleged attempted rape and the other crimes besides the victim’s description. Without such evidence, it is possible that the defendant was in the wrong place at the wrong time. In many cases where the only evidence is eyewitness testimony, prosecutors can have a difficult time proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in order to gain a conviction. Because of the seriousness of the allegations against the man, he may benefit from employing an experienced defense attorney who is willing to fight on his behalf against the charges in court or in negotiations with prosecutors for a reduced sentence and/or charge as part of a plea deal.
Source: wpsdlocal6.com, “Man charged with attempted rape in Charleston, Missouri”, Dec. 15, 2015