A Jackson County jury has determined that a Gore Summit man is not guilty of first and second-degree criminal sexual conduct. According to the Jackson Citizen Patriot, a man was accused of assaulting his now 13-year-old granddaughter who is developmentally delayed, mentally and emotionally.
Criminal sexual conduct in the first degree is often referred to as rape, and involves some form of penetration of the alleged victim. Criminal sexual conduct second degree involves touching of a sexual nature of an intimate body part without penetration.
However, little evidence exists that such actions occurred in this case. The girl reported the incidents several weeks after they had supposedly occurred, and no medical documents supported the allegations of assault. Further, the man’s ex-wife and two other family members testified that they had not seen the man acting inappropriately with children. Although the man had admitted to touching the girl inappropriately while being questioned by sheriffs, this “confession” occurred after hours of badgering.
Despite a lack of evidence, law enforcement pursued a trial against the man. In Michigan the law requires simply an allegation be made – convictions may occur without any physical evidence supporting the assault.
Fortunately for this man the jurors were not convinced. As one juror stated, “There is no evidence that proves he did something wrong in Michigan.”
For more information, or if you or someone you love has been charged with a Michigan sex crime, contact Grabel & Associates, a premier Michigan sex crimes firm.