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Evidence Challenged by Attorney Friedman at Start of Restaurateur Sex Abuse Trial

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The sex abuse trial of Attorney Friedman's client Sean Heineman began this week. A local restaurateur, Heineman is accused of molestation and child rape charges. At the start of his trial, prosecutors alleged that Heineman began molesting a young 6 year old girl and began raping her at the age of 11 until she became 16.

According to Cleveland.com, the indictment against Heineman stems from claims by the alleged victim, now 25, who entered therapy in college and came forward with the allegations—even though she had entered an adult, consensual relationship with Heineman in the past. In its opening statements, the prosecution assured the jury that Heineman's troubled, long-standing past with the woman can be proven in a phone recording in which he can be heard apologizing to the woman about actions that occurred when she was a child.

Attorney Friedman, however, responded with an emphatic rebuttal of the prosecution's summary, asserting that Heineman is not a pedophile and that the accusations in this case are the result of a long and complex relationship between the accused and the alleged victim. In particular, Attorney Friedman called into question the woman's peculiar actions concerning the consensual relationship and the criminal accusations. "You can't have it both ways, you can't say he raped me and then you start an affair with him," Friedman told the jury.

Phone Recording Yet to Be Heard

As for the phone recording the prosecution believes proves Heineman has recognized his pedophile offenses, Friedman assured the jury that the recording is of poor quality and that Heineman's statements are not an admittance of guilt, but of him "trying to pacify the situation." Friedman also pointed out that the victim continued to rely on Heineman after their affair ended and even tried to get money from him.

Ian N. Friedman and his team are currently working to ensure that the facts are accurately presented in Mr. Heineman's case. If you or a loved one are facing criminal charges, then we invite you contact him today. A sought-after litigator and dedicated Ohio criminal defense lawyer, Attorney Friedman is unafraid of taking on the most serious, high-profile cases and has a track history of navigating them to their best possible conclusion on behalf of his clients.

Get the representation the seriousness of your charges calls for. Contact us for a free consultation.

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