Saugus, MA asked in Criminal Law for Rhode Island

Q: I was assaulted in the dark outside my apartment and did not see the attacker and accused my boyfriend after he found me

I made attempts to clear his name but no one returned my calls. Over a year later he was arrested because of a warrant we weren't aware of over this matter and a no contact order is now in place. What is the likelihood that I could be in trouble for giving a false statement to the police? I live in rhode island.

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1 Lawyer Answer

A: You need a meeting in private with an attorney. So does your boyfriend. Domestic violence cases have a high frequency of victims who recant their original statement to the police, and a prosecutor is not going to just dismiss the charge without some additional investigation. You are correct that there is a risk that you could be charged with making a false statement, but there is more to this. An attorney can help the both of you. Get in to see someone as soon as possible.

Neville Bedford agrees with this answer

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