Massachusetts Criminal Defense Attorney Blog
Last Saturday John Murphy, a twenty two year man from Marblehead, Massachusetts was arrested and charged with rape of a child with force and drugging a person for sexual intercourse. He is now being held on a fifty thousand dollar bail that was set in the Lynn District Court. According to reports the victim is a fourteen year old girl. She was at a local playground two weeks ago and met with the defendant. Shortly thereafter police were called to the playground where they found the girl passed out. She was taken to a local hospital and then Boston’s Children’s Hospital where she underwent a sexual assault screen and full toxicology examination. Alcohol and prescription drugs were found at the scene. From the article it is unclear how the police linked Murphy to the assault and just what if anything Murphy did to the girl.
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Massachusetts Man Held On High Bail After Serious Sexual Assault Allegations
The sexual assault charges Murphy faces are extremely serious. Drugging a person for sexual intercourse is a felony in Massachusetts in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 272 Section 3. The law states that anyone who causes someone to take drugs with the intent to overcome that person’s will so that he or she can have sexual intercourse with the person is guilty of this crime. The punishment is not less than ten years in state prison and up to life in prison. The crime of rape is also punishable by as much as life. Facts that defense lawyers would like to know about this case are as follows: What does the victim remember? Is there physical evidence such as semen or DNA from Murphy that links him to the girl? Were there any other witnesses to the alleged acts? What was in the girl’s system? What evidence at the scene can be linked to the defendant?
Sexual assault crime such as Rape and Drugging a Person For Sexual Intercourse are matters that Attorney Stephen Neyman defends. If you have been charged with a Sex Crime in Massachusetts call us now at 617-263-6800 or contact us online. We have over twenty years experience successfully defending people accused of these crimes.