Police were alerted to a home invasion at a house near the campus of the Eastern Michigan University campus in the early morning on a recent Thursday. When they arrived at the address, they apparently found two women residents who claimed that their home was invaded by two strange men. Violent crimes allegations were made when one woman alleged that she was awakened and found a man in the bed with her. She realized that some of her clothes had been removed, and a knife was being held against her throat.
She apparently managed to fight off the man, and he -- along with another man who had apparently entered the house unlawfully -- fled the scene after grabbing an electronic device from the home. A canine unit is said to have searched the surrounding area and located both men. Reportedly, the electronic device that was claimed to have been taken from the home was found in possession of one of the alleged intruders.
The woman who claimed to have been threatened with a knife suffered minor injuries that did not require hospitalization. Both men were detained in the county jail and may be facing charges of home invasion, along with criminal sexual conduct. The charges are pending the prosecutor's authorization.
Understandably, accusations of violent crimes are taken seriously in Michigan. If these men are convicted of the charges against them, the impact it may have on their lives may be devastating. The first order of business for each man will be to retain the services of an experienced criminal defense attorney. A lawyer will examine the evidence in order to identify legal issues to address before the court. Ultimately, if the prosecution is unable to prove guilt by appropriate evidence and beyond reasonable doubt, a conviction cannot take place.
Source: mlive.com, "Man accused of holding knife to Ypsilanti woman's throat during attempted sex assault", John Counts, June 4, 2015