Jury Continues Deliberation for Two Pompano Beach Brothers Accused of Rape and Kidnapping

Broward County, Florida jurors released a note late Tuesday afternoon requesting to continue deliberation over the verdict for two brothers accused of kidnapping a woman outside a Ft. Lauderdale, FL nightclub, raping her and then dropping her off at a gas station in Lauderhill. The jurors explained that they had not reached a unanimous verdict.

The 34-year-old and 32-year-old brothers await a verdict stemming from a Dec. 16, 2006 incident that allegedly started outside a popular Fort Lauderdale nightclub.

A prosecutor introduced DNA evidence that supposedly established the two men had sexual contact with the victim. The defense argued that the DNA does not determine whether the sex was consensual or not. According to the Sun-Sentinel, the defense says the sex was consensual.

For the kidnapping charge, both men could face up to life in prison if convicted. The men could face up to 15 years for the rape charge.

The majority of rape cases are focused around the issue of consent, not whether the act happened. In such cases, DNA does not solve the dispute, rather, answers nothing about the central concern. A rape kit could contain all types of DNA, but it still has nothing to do with whether or not the victim agreed to sexual contact on the night in question.

Most sex crimes have no witnesses, however they are still prosecuted based off of what each party claims is true. Sex crimes are frequently prosecuted even though evidence may be weak and the accuser may not be a credible source. Defenses for a sex crime accusation like rape include consent, insufficient evidence and mistaken identity. At the first start of a rape accusation, you should speak to a qualified sex crimes defense attorney to learn about your rights, defense and how the legal system works. Individuals who are accused of sex crimes have rights and it is important to know these so that you are not slighted in any way.

If you have been charged with rape anywhere in the state of Florida, contact the Florida Sex Crimes Defense Lawyers online or call us toll-free at 866-608-5529.