15-year old Edgar Coker Jr. pled guilty to raping a 14-year old girl because it was too risky for him to take his chances and go to trial, even though he was completely innocent. Coker faced an impossible choice that many accused of sex crimes face: challenge the false allegations when the odds are stacked up against you and risk lengthy mandatory prison time, or take the plea and admit guilt for something you didn’t do, and receive a much shorter sentence. However, Coker’s case emphasizes the other consequences that occur when entering into a plea that one does not ordinarily think about.
Coker is forced to list himself on the Sex Offender Registry List. This list is public information, and any person can access it and see Coker on it. Coker must disclose this conviction on any job application, cannot be near any place with young children including schools or parks without special permission, and has been the target of false allegations and threatening letters and notes. Coker and his family have had to uproot their lives several times because of this.
The worst part about this scenario is that the 14-year old girl recanted her story after Coker took the plea, admitting that she made up the rape and that the sex was consensual. However, Coker is still living with the consequences of these false allegations. He finds it impossible to live a normal life, and prefers to stay indoors not socializing with anyone.
Remember, false allegations can have wide-reaching consequences, far beyond just having a conviction on your record. While the prison term lengths usually dramatically decrease when considering a plea, remember that there are a million other detriments that come along with conceding the charges.
David Michael Cantor is a sex crimes lawyer and a Supporting Member of NCADRC.