Home / Crime and Justice / 20 Years Later: Man Freed as Judge Dismisses Sex Assault Case
20 Years Later: Man Freed as Judge Dismisses Sex Assault Case
7 Sep
Summary
- Judge dismissed sex assault charges against Roger Brown after 20 years.
- Unreasonable delay in executing arrest warrant led to case dismissal.
- Brown served 20 years of a 23-year sentence for convictions.
After two decades in prison, Roger Brown was released on Thursday when a judge dismissed his sexual assault case. This decision came after the Connecticut Appellate Court ordered a new trial, citing police delays in his arrest.
Judge Brian Preleski granted the motion to dismiss, vacating all convictions. Brown had served 20 years of a 23-year sentence for charges including first-degree sexual assault. Prosecutors argued he was not readily available, but police had his Indiana address within days of issuing a warrant in 2005.
The key factor was the statute of limitations in effect at the time, which required prosecution within five years for such offenses. Despite the warrant being issued before this period expired, a state Supreme Court decision mandated arrest without unreasonable delay. Previous legal representation was criticized for not addressing this procedural issue earlier.
