Legal Question in Criminal Law in Georgia

My fiance and I broke up for a few months last year. During that time he dated a girl that claimed she was 18. We would all hang out at times at my fiances roommates apartment that is on the same street as my parents. While they were dating the girl and I became very close, we had multiple conversations via myspace IM and through text messages. I was 8mths. pregnant at that time, when it came time for me to have the baby my fiance and I got back together. Within that time he and I find out that the girl is actually 16 and he and her stop talking. Shortly after that he and I got back together. I let her know we were back together and that we had slept together multiple times while he and her were together and she told me that she knew the entire time that we were sleeping together and that she figured we would share him. After that conversation she quit talking and responding to my msgs. Now a year later my fiance is being charged with a Class A Felony Rape charge. We know he is innocent but the judicial system is messed up. He is guilty until proven innocent. What do we do? He's facing life right? And we know he won't win with a public pretender its a lose lose situation. We can't afford to pay an attorney 10,000$ we cant even afford to pay them 5000$ at least up front. How do we find an affordable attorney?


Asked on 3/06/11, 6:27 pm

2 Answers from Attorneys
Lawrence Lewis Lawrence Lewis, P.C.

There is no experienced attorney that will take on a rape case for $ 5,000. Therefore, if you do not have $ 5,000, you have no choice but to request a public defender. For you to hire a private attorney for $ 3500 is just throwing your money away, because in the end the public defender will end up trying that case. The reality is you are not going to get something for nothing. And you are defintely not going to get a quality attorney for $ 5,000, which you do not have. For a rape case the price will be approximately $ 15,000-20,000 for everything up to trial, and a nother $ 5,000-10,000 for the jury trial. Your boyfriend is fighting for his life, so he better cash in every favor. He needs to speak to every relative. Now is not the time for him to do things on his own. I wish you the best of luck.

Lawrence

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Answered on 3/06/11, 6:34 pm
Glen Ashman Ashman Law Office also dba Glen Ashman Attorney

Your fiance is facing spending most of his life in jail for a very serious crime. It was very foolish on his part to have sex with someone without knowing them well enough to know his age.

The next huge mistake he is about to make is not already having counsel. For a case that serious I expect he needs $20,000 or more, and even if he has to sell all he and you have, nothing should be a higher priority. If he lacks the funds, he needs to call every family member and friend he has. He should not look to underpay a lawyer and expect help.

If he cannot afford counsel, he should get a public defender. Many public defenders are excellent attorneys and your insult to them was very inappropriate. Your attack on the judicial system is also not helpful and if you are going totake that approach, do your fiance and favor and stay quiet, as you are creating a problem for him. Help him, not hinder him.

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Answered on 3/06/11, 9:07 pm


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