Knowledgeable Rape Defense Attorney in Los Angeles, CA, Defends Clients Facing Charges of Violent Sex Crimes
If you have been charged with rape in any capacity, you could be facing years of jail time, plus the requirement to register as a sex offender once you’re released. Just an accusation of rape can affect your reputation. A conviction may follow you for the rest of your life.
If you’re accused of rape or other serious sex crimes, the first thing you should do is retain an experienced rape defense lawyer. Contact us today at the Law Offices of Christopher Chaney for a confidential consultation at no cost.
Rape Charges in Los Angeles, CA
California Penal Code 261 defines and criminalizes rape. The crime of rape in California encompasses nonconsensual sexual intercourse by any means, including having sex with a person who is considered unable to give legal consent.
How Rape Is Defined Under California Law
California law recognizes a number of situations that can constitute rape. The common factor in all such crimes is that the victim did not give consent, either because the intercourse was against their will or because they were legally unable to consent to sex due to age, disability, mental state, or other factors.
Crimes of rape in Los Angeles encompass sexual intercourse in which any of the following is true:
- The victim is asleep, passed out, or otherwise unconscious.
- The victim is unable to resist because they are drugged or intoxicated.
- The victim has a mental disorder, a physical disability, or a developmental disability that makes them unable to legally give consent.
- The victim is deceived into thinking the defendant is someone else.
- The perpetrator used violence, force, fear, threats, menace, or duress of any kind to have intercourse against the victim’s will and/or without their voluntary consent and positive cooperation.
Statutory rape, or intercourse with a minor who is legally unable to give consent to sex, is classified as “unlawful sexual intercourse” under California Penal Code Section 261.5, and its charges and penalties depend on the age of the alleged perpetrator and victim.
Forcible rape may encompass any use of direct physical force, such as holding the victim down or hitting, punching, strangling, or otherwise hurting them.
Nonconsensual intercourse doesn’t have to involve direct physical violence to constitute rape in California. Rape charges may also be filed if the defendant is alleged to have:
- Threatened to hurt or arrest the victim or their loved ones, either at the time of the attack or in the future, as retaliation for resisting
- Defrauded, tricked, or deceived the victim to get them to comply
California law takes rape crimes seriously, which means you shouldn’t underestimate the charges against you. A conviction could send you to jail and continue to affect your life even after you have served your sentence. You’re going to want a rape defense attorney in Los Angeles, CA, on your side as you navigate the criminal legal process.
Areas Our Los Angeles Rape Lawyer Serves
From our locations in Century City and Van Nuys, the Law Offices of Christopher Chaney assist clients throughout Los Angeles, L.A. County, and beyond. Examples of the areas in which we routinely defend Californians against rape charges include:
- Angelino Heights
- Arlington Heights
- Atwater Village
- Beverly Hills
- Century City
- Culver City
- Cypress Park
- Del Rey
- Downtown L.A.
- East Hollywood
- Eagle Rock
- Echo Park
- Green Meadows
- Hancock Park
- Hollywood
- Los Feliz
- Malibu
- Redondo Beach
- Santa Monica
- Silver Lake
- West Hollywood
- Westside
Defendants across Los Angeles County and the rest of Southern California can turn to us for professional legal assistance when charged with rape or other serious sex crimes.
Rape Sentences in Los Angeles, California
Under Section 264 of the California Penal Code, being convicted of the crime of rape can result in jail time of three, six, or eight years if the victim is an adult.
The penalties for rape when the victim is a minor under 14 years of age are nine, 11, or 13 years of jail time. If the victim is age 14 or above, the sentence may be seven, nine, or 11 years in prison.
In certain situations, the sentences for rape can be more severe. For example, causing significant injuries to the victim could increase the defendant’s sentence by three to five years under Section 12022.7 of the Penal Code. Repeat offenders may face harsher penalties under California’s Three Strikes system, even if the other felonies on their record were not sex crimes. If a defendant committed other offenses in the course of carrying out a rape, they may face additional charges.
Besides serving jail time, you could be required to register as a sex offender if convicted of rape in Los Angeles.
It may be possible to receive lighter sentences or have the charges against you downgraded or even dismissed, depending on the facts of your case. A Los Angeles rape lawyer can review the evidence against you and in your favor to determine how to proceed with the goal of attaining a more favorable outcome for you.
Contact a Los Angeles Rape Lawyer Today at the Law Offices of Christopher Chaney for a Confidential Consultation
A rape charge is a serious matter. You will need help to stand up to the allegations against you and build the most robust legal defense possible. For help from a rape charge defense attorney in Los Angeles, contact the Law Offices of Christopher Chaney online or call (310) 209-3999 today.
