Sex Crimes Archives - Page 18 of 19 - Houston Criminal Defense Attorney Ned Barnett

Texas Marital Rape Laws

Published: May 19, 2017 in Sex Crimes

In previous decades, marital rape was not a possibility. Due to traditional viewpoints, most communities and legislators assumed women would submit to their husbands in regard to intercourse. However, America’s cultural values and laws have evolved over the years to recognize that sexual activity must be consensual – otherwise it is unlawful. Now, marital rape is a form of sexual assault between spouses and is illegal across the country. This is an important law, which protects women in physically and sexually abusive marriages. It provides prosecutors with a way to…

Texas Sexual Assault Statistics

Published: Apr 19, 2017 in Sex Crimes

Unfortunately, sexual assault statistics show rape and sexual violence as a serious problem across the country, including in Texas. Tens of thousands of children and adults are victimized each year, and these individuals must deal with the long-lasting physical and psychological effects of the crime, which can hinder their education, career, and personal relationships. For some, sexual assault is a trauma that is never entirely overcome. That is why educational institutions, legislators, and law enforcement agencies must take all issues related to sexual assault seriously, including prevention, reporting offenses, investigating…

Social Media in Sex Crimes Cases

Published: Mar 31, 2017 in Sex Crimes

It is rare to meet someone who does not have at least one social media account these days. According to the Pew Research Center, 68 percent of adults in the U.S. have a Facebook page. Between 21 and 28 percent use Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Instagram. The numbers may be higher for adolescents who have grown up with smartphones and social media. It is not surprising then that both prosecutors and criminal defense lawyers use social media in sex crime cases. In general, social media content can be admitted as…

Internet Restriction for a Child Pornography Conviction

Published: Dec 16, 2016 in Sex Crimes

The sex offender registration was created with a purpose, but many of the associated rules and restrictions make it difficult for you to move on with life and establish yourself in a community afterward. Internet restrictions, for example, make it hard live and work in the modern world. Texas law does not entirely prohibit you from accessing the internet or having social media accounts as a registered sex offender; however, certain offenses can lead to internet restrictions that greatly affect you. If you are required to register as a sex…

Can You Be Convicted of Child Pornography for Streaming?

Published: Nov 14, 2016 in Criminal Defense, Sex Crimes

It is possible that you could be convicted of possessing or promoting child pornography if authorities believe you viewed sexual depictions of children through a streaming service. Under Texas Penal Code §43.26, a person commits a crime if that individual knowingly or intentionally possesses, or knowingly or intentionally accesses with intent to view, visual material that depicts a child under the age of 18 engaged in sexual conduct. Historically, whether defendants actually possessed these materials was never an issue. However, the legal definition of “possession” is up in the air…