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Sex Crimes

How Does Alcohol Affect Consent?

Published: Jul 31, 2017 in Criminal Defense, Sex Crimes

In every state, specific laws determine an age at which an individual can consent to sexual activity with another person. Under Texas law, a person who is 17-years-old or older has the right to consent to any type of sexual activity, but you should learn how consuming alcohol can impair your judgment and thereby your ability to give and/or receive consent. If you’ve been charged with a sex crime and alcohol was involved, contact an experienced Houston sex crimes attorney from The Law Offices of Ned Barnett today at (713)…

New Texas Law Leads to Rape Kit Reform

Published: Jul 21, 2017 in Criminal Defense, Sex Crimes

Under a new law that goes into effect September 1, 2017, the Texas Department of Public Safety will create a statewide database for all rape kits, enabling them to track each kit from collection to analysis. The law is a first step towards addressing the backlog of 20,000 or so untested rape kits across the state–each one representing an unprosecuted sexual assault. Although the bill does not mandate the analysis of backlogged rape kits, it will enable rape survivors to track their DNA samples, and make it less likely that…

Break Down of the Bill Cosby Mistrial

Published: Jul 07, 2017 in Criminal Defense, Sex Crimes

Bill Cosby’s sexual assault trial has ended in a hung jury. You may find this surprising since the weight of the evidence–or at least public opinion–largely pointed to Cosby’s guilt. But in criminal trials, judges instruct the members of the jury to acquit defendants if they have any reasonable doubt about their guilt. In this case, the defense successfully convinced at least some of the jurors that there was a reasonable possibility that Cosby did not sexually assault Andrea Constand, the alleged victim. Dozens of women have come forward about…

What Is Digital Child Pornography?

Published: Jun 30, 2017 in Sex Crimes

In the digital age in which we live, the Internet has become the common vehicle through which child pornography is distributed, and viewed. Law enforcement agencies around the world as well as throughout the United States and in the state of Texas allocate significant manpower and resources to aggressively investigate and prosecute child pornography crimes. Digital child pornography is the modern means of possessing and distributing sexually explicit depictions of children, including depictions that are portrayed through drawings or computer-generated images. It only takes one accusation of possessing child pornography…

Defenses Against Sexual Assault Charges

Published: Jun 23, 2017 in Sex Crimes

Under Texas law, the crime of sexual assault is prosecuted vigorously and the punishments imposed upon a conviction are severe. In fact, a single conviction on this charge can result in many years of incarceration, as well as thousands of dollars in fines. You may also suffer the loss of educational and employment opportunities for a long time to come. Unfortunately, in certain cases, the consequences of simply being charged with this crime can linger for some time even if you are not found guilty. Houston sexual assault lawyer Ned…