Sex Crimes | Provo Criminal Defense Lawyer
Sex Crime Suspect Released From Utah Hospital
The criminal justice system is not perfect but it is designed to punish those who break the law while protecting innocent individuals from baseless convictions. People in Provo are upset at the criminal justice system, however, because they feel it has failed to punish someone that has broken the law. They believe a man accused of raping and sodomizing two girls should not have been released yesterday. They fear the man is a threat to society because he will commit rape and sodomy once again.
Lonnie Johnson was release from the Utah State Hospital yesterday because doctors have deemed him not a threat to society. He was being held in the hospital on various felony sexual crimes, but was evaluated and held not to be competent to stand trial. Since he is not competent and he has not been convicted, a judge reluctantly agreed with Mr. Johnson’s criminal defense lawyer and concluded that he must be released because of Utah law. The judge’s decision caused national outrage and a few individuals protested his release outside of the 4th district court house in Provo.
Criminal Suspects in Utah Still Have Rights
Releasing Mr. Johnson does not mean his sex crimes have been dropped. It only means that he can no longer be held in the Utah State Mental Hospital. His alleged victims may still get their day in court because the sex crime charges still stand. Though rape and sodomy are serious charges, the man has only been accused of them and not convicted. The criminal justice system requires that he be convicted to be permanently incarcerated.
Rape and sodomy suspects such as Mr. Johnson are stigmatized for life because the of those terrible charges. Even if they are innocent such charges can destroy one’s life. Because of the damning effect of sex crime charges, it is important for the justice system to work properly and insure every suspect’s rights are upheld. This is why a criminal defense lawyer works so hard to protect a suspect’s rights even if allowing a person such rights is unpopular or seems unfair.
Criminal Defense Attorneys Protect Sex Crime Suspects
Because of the seriousness of sex crime charges such as rape and sodomy, it is important to call a criminal defense attorney from Criminal Defense Provo law firm. A Criminal Defense Provo lawyer will protect you if you have any type of sex crime charge levied against you. Call 801.800.8246 to speak with a lawyer to make sure your rights are protected.
