When Virginia residents are accused of a crime, the effects of such allegations can be very destructive. It can result in damage to one's reputation, along with the loss of a job, and most seriously, time spent behind bars. Unfortunately, this can be true even when someone is falsely accused of a crime and the criminal charges are dismissed.

In order to avoid such a situation it is so important to have an experienced attorney who can defend against the criminal accusations effectively. Sometimes the only thing prosecutors have to build a case on is the word of the accuser. This is especially true when there is a lack of physical evidence and police and investigators are looking at a he-said, she-said scenario.

Testimonial evidence alone will not be a strong case against you. In order to be proven guilty in a criminal trial, it is necessary to prove that you are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and this means more than simply one person's testimony.

In addition, when there has been a delay in reporting a crime that can tend to make investigators or a jury very suspicious of the motivation behind making the delayed allegations.

Other factors may also be favorable to one who stands accused of a crime. For example, if an accuser was using drugs or alcohol during the incident, such use may put into question whether the accuser contributed in some way, or whether his or her memory or perspective may have been affected. This would make the testimonial evidence even that much more suspect.

All of this information would be considered by a strong criminal defense attorney who would be able to expose the weaknesses in a criminal case, and highlight factors that tend to favor a dismissal or an acquittal.

Source: Metro, "Greg Kelly: Rape allegations 'tough' to investigate, say experts," Alison Bowen, Feb. 8, 2012