Someone accuses you of a criminal act, whether they publish a statement on social media or file a police report, they can cause real harm to you. Obviously, the Maryland police will do their best to investigate allegations of criminal activity. They may question your family and neighbors and arrest you during that process. You may have even had to go to court to prove your innocence.
Now that you have successfully demonstrated that you did not break the law, you may feel partially vindicated. However, the courts dismissing the charges against you or a jury acquitting you will not necessarily undo the harm caused by those inaccurate allegations.
Can you demand the prosecution of the person who accused you?
Some scenarios may lead to criminal prosecution
You cannot necessarily press charges against a victim of a violent crime who misidentified you during a police lineup, but you could create legal consequences for someone who specifically accused you of a crime.
In Maryland, knowingly creating a false police report is a misdemeanor offense. You could potentially ask for prosecutors to pursue charges against the individual who filed a report against you. If the prosecutor believes that the other party acted with the intention to cause harm to you and also wasted public resources, they may pursue your claim. Even if they do not, you may have other options.
You could potentially take the other party to court for defamation
You could allege libel or slander depending on how the other party spread their claims of your alleged misconduct.
If the civil courts agree with you that the other party knowingly defamed you and caused financial harm in doing so, the courts may award you compensation for lost career opportunities and other personal consequences you suffered because of the accusations against you.
You need to prove your innocence before fighting back
In most cases involving false allegations or accusations, the defendant wrongfully accused first needs to handle the criminal matter they face before taking action against the other party. Both mounting a thorough criminal defense and exploring all your options for civil and financial justice can help you move on with your life when someone falsely accuses you of committing a crime.
