A Port Washington man was charged with two counts of third-degree sexual assault and a single count of false imprisonment last month, after a Milwaukee woman with whom he shared a child claimed he threw her in the back of his SUV and sexually assaulted her. The crimes carried a maximum penalty of 26 years in prison.

However, when confronted with video evidence that contradicted her sexual assault claims, the woman recanted her story and now faces a misdemeanor obstruction of an officer charge.

The woman originally said that she and the 25-year-old Port Washington man met in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant. She was giving the man their child, and as this exchange took place she claimed that the 25-year-old began touching and grabbing her. Later, she says, the man told her he had a gift for their child in the trunk of his vehicle, but when they got there he forced her inside and sexually assaulted her.

The 25-year-old was arrested, but he told officers that he and the woman engaged in consensual sex in the parking lot of a movie theatre. Video surveillance footage confirmed the man's story, and the woman admitted to lying about the sexual assault.

It is the basis of all criminal activity - the accused is innocent until proven guilty, no matter how bad something may initially sound. In this case, the woman's story put the 25-year-old in an unsympathetic position by claiming he sexually assaulted her. The man faced a lengthy prison sentence that could have ruined his life.

Your right to due process in any criminal defense case is crucial. Without it, investigators can cut corners in any case simply because the accused sounds guilty based on the story, and those who are wrongfully accused would be punished for crimes they didn't commit. If you have a criminal defense case, consult an experienced attorney to receive advice as to what course of legal action you can take.

Source: Port Washington-Saukville Patch, "Woman Faces Charges for False Sex Assault Accusations," Lyssa Beyer, Jan. 23, 2012