Please help, as I am in need of sound legal advice. My dominican friend is the victum of an extortion plot. He has no money, no political influence. What he does have is a gringo friend(me), so these people are attempting to extort money from him, believing his gringo buddy will help him out.
My friend has formally been charged with raping a minor(the girl is 14). Since he has not turned himself in to the police, he is currently a fugative of the law.
He is innocent. The night of the alleged incident, he was more than 100 miles away. He has countless eye witnesses to verify this fact-- that he wasn't even in the same city as where the alleged crime was commited.
Within hours after the alleged rape, the family contacted a lawyer, who contacted my friend and demanded 1,000,000 pesos to drop the case. A week later the price went down to 500,000. This week it has fallen to 100,000. Even if he had the money, which he does not, he would not pay, because that would imply guilt.
Here is my question: In this case, is it true that if he turns himself into the police, he cannot post bail, and thus must remain in jail until the trial?
Also: can the criminal charge be dropped if this girls family so chooses? I know in the US one cannot drop a criminal charge, simply because the plaintif wants too. A criminal case can't be settled out of court in the US. What about the DR?
My friend believes he will be raped immediately if he goes to jail to await tial, since he himself is accused of rape. He says thats the way it is in the DR. What should he do? Thanks ahead for any advice- this is a very terrible situation. T.M.
My friend has formally been charged with raping a minor(the girl is 14). Since he has not turned himself in to the police, he is currently a fugative of the law.
He is innocent. The night of the alleged incident, he was more than 100 miles away. He has countless eye witnesses to verify this fact-- that he wasn't even in the same city as where the alleged crime was commited.
Within hours after the alleged rape, the family contacted a lawyer, who contacted my friend and demanded 1,000,000 pesos to drop the case. A week later the price went down to 500,000. This week it has fallen to 100,000. Even if he had the money, which he does not, he would not pay, because that would imply guilt.
Here is my question: In this case, is it true that if he turns himself into the police, he cannot post bail, and thus must remain in jail until the trial?
Also: can the criminal charge be dropped if this girls family so chooses? I know in the US one cannot drop a criminal charge, simply because the plaintif wants too. A criminal case can't be settled out of court in the US. What about the DR?
My friend believes he will be raped immediately if he goes to jail to await tial, since he himself is accused of rape. He says thats the way it is in the DR. What should he do? Thanks ahead for any advice- this is a very terrible situation. T.M.