In a recent Massachusetts case of alleged indecent assault and battery, a Lakeville wrestling coach was accused of indecently assaulting a teenager while wrestling. Indecent assault and battery is an extremely serious charge that can impact the rest of your life. If you have been accused of indecent assault and battery you should hire an indecent assault and battery criminal defense attorney immediately.
To understand these charges you need to understand how someone can become an accused perpetrator of indecent assault and battery and who the alleged victims are. In Massachusetts, indecent assault and battery on a person over the age of 14 occurs when a person is accused of sexual touching without consent. Sexual touching is touching private areas such as breasts, genitals and buttocks, but the areas that are touched can depend on the context. The idea of an “indecent” assault depends on what is considered offensive to contemporary standards of decency.
For example in the case discussed, Frederick Conrad was accused of kissing a girl who trained under him while the pair were wrestling. According to court filings, the teenage girl told her guidance counselor that Conrad had kissed her on the neck and alleged that he made a comment to the effect of, “ I better stop so I don’t leave a hickey.” The girl also reported to police that Conrad “sucked on her neck and ear and bit her butt.” Conrad was also alleged to have made comments about how the girl wasn’t allowed to wear shorts because it was “too distracting, and was alleged to have said she was “the girl of his dreams.”
These allegations might meet the criteria of indecent assault and battery even though some of the touching was not in private areas, due to the inappropriate context of the comments. Indecent assault and battery is also defined as being perpetrated in a non-consensual encounter. The indecent assault and battery must also be intentional.
Indecent assault and battery does not have to be forceful. It only requires that contact is made with a person’s body. Indecent assault without battery does not have to involve physical contact at all.
An Indecent assault and battery conviction is life changing because it requires someone to register as a sex offender in Massachusetts. The penalties for indecent assault and battery in Massachusetts are up to 5 years in state prison, or 2 and a half years in a house of correction. The stigma attached to these crimes mean that any accusation or investigation of a crime should be taken extremely seriously. A prison sentence is serious by itself, but registering as a sex offender could affect your job prospects and relationships for life. At Dhar Law, LLP, we ensure your rights are protected by countering the prosecution’s allegations with a strong defense. We believe in the right to a fair trial and the chance to rebuild your life after serious allegations. If you or someone you know has been accused of indecent assault and battery, please contact us to speak to a member of our experienced Massachusetts criminal defense team.
