Prosecution in cases of child molestation?

Question

Like, how speedily are things supposed to move along in those sorts of things? A child was molested for ten years, removed (by the wife/step mother) on Jan 6 of 2006, and there's still no news of a trial, despite the child having already given her deposition. The child's now seventeen, and a trial hasn't been set, but there are rumours it might be around september. She hasn't heard from the police, and neither has the step mother. So, what in the world is going on here? Is it normal for the police to take almost two years to prosecute accused child molesters?

Answer 1

It depends on where you are. Sometimes the DA's office is flooded with cases that need to be tried. Murder cases can take over a year to go before the judge. Smaller towns usually get the ball rolling pretty fast, but the prosecution and defense must have time to prepare and gather their evidence.

The best thing to do is talk to the Prosecutors' Office. Ask them what is going on in the case, the processes involved and when the case is likely to be heard. The next best thing to do is keep checking on the case's progress once or twice a month. Do not exceed the two calls a month rule unless they keep reassigning the case to different prosecutors; these calls are to keep a slow pressure on the office to act.

Answer 2

Unfortunately, the wheels of justice often turn slow. Obtaining repeated continuances and finding ways to delay the trial is a defense tactic that the attorney representing the slime bag, I mean defendant, hopes will make it more difficult for the prosecution to get accurate testimony at trial. They will look for any discrepancies between the depositions and the trial testimony to discredit the victim's testimony. Hang in there and make sure the prosecuting attorney's office is kept up to date on any address changes or changes in other contact information. Good luck!

Answer 3

Yes, depending on the backlog for the courts, it CAN take that long to get to trial. As heinous as the crime is, there are other crimes that have occurred and those need to be tended to as well.