No one wants to be accused of any sort of crime but if it could get any worse than it already is it would be when you stand accused of a sex crime such as indecent exposure.

If you are unfortunate enough to have that sort of allegation hanging over your head you should really contact a sex crime lawyer today so that you get the professional guidance needed in that sort of situation.

Let’s take a look at what constitutes indecent exposure and the case of mistaken identity.

The basics

Quite clearly, you will have a basic understanding of what indecent exposure is and will also most likely appreciate that you are facing the prospect of jail time and registration as a sex offender if the charges against you are upheld in a court of law.

There are a number of basic elements relating to indecent exposure that needs to be proven by the prosecution before you can be successfully charged.

The majority of states require the act of indecent exposure to be considered a willful act where you fully intended to expose your private parts in public.

As you might expect, private parts are the sex organs that define as a male or female, although it is clear that exposing your breasts for the purpose of feeding your baby would not be classed as indecent exposure.

At least one person needs to have witnessed your exposure and, in some states, the victim needs to be of the opposite sex for charges to be brought against you.

Defending your actions

If you have been caught exposing yourself in public there are a number of viable defenses that your lawyer could use to clear your name.

If your actions were clearly lacking any sort of willful intent and you did not intend to cause distress by your actions it would be hard for a court to find you guilty. Getting undressed in front of your window at home, for example, without realizing someone was in your eye line, would be a bit embarrassing but not exactly indecent exposure.

Basically, if your actions were lacking any sexual motivation that is often good grounds for filing a defense.

Mistaken identity

It is alarmingly common for someone to be mistaken for the actual offender and that would obviously be a valid defense in its own right if you can prove that you were not the person who committed the act of indecency in the first place.

This another strong reason why it is advisable to get yourself the right legal representation at the earliest opportunity when you find yourself facing a charge of indecent exposure.

A defense attorney with the right level of experience relating to sex crime charges will be able to evaluate your circumstances quickly and get to work on trying to get the charges dropped as soon as possible, especially in the case of mistaken identity, so that you can get on with your life and put a worrying episode behind you.