Sex crimes are never a frivolous matter. Trials for these crimes are a difficult experience for everyone involved, especially when the accused knows he or she is innocent. This is what happened to a Dallas man accused of rape committed against multiple young women and girls nearly two decades ago. It wasn't until recently that the man was cleared of committing these crimes with DNA evidence.

During the 1980s and 1990s, the "North Dallas Rapist," as he was dubbed, committed several sexual offenses. The wrongly convicted man was thought to be responsible for these crimes, so he was apprehended, convicted and imprisoned until his exoneration in 2010.

The wrongly convicted man, who is also deaf, says he was interrogated by police and forced into confessing that he sexually assaulted a 7-year-old girl in 1989. Fingerprints found at the scene of the incident did not even match this man's prints.

It wasn't until recently that DNA evidence came forward proving that another man was guilty of committing the sexual act against the little girl. Apparently, this man's fingerprints match ones found at the scene as well. This man will be brought to court and charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child. This man is considered by some to be the "real North Dallas Rapist," not the man falsely convicted 20 years ago.

No matter how sensitive the crime, everyone charged is entitled to an aggressive defense in court. This is a constitutional guarantee. What is clear is that the police had a flimsy case against the wrongly accused man. The police got a confession and conviction under what are believed to be dubious circumstances. A wrongly convicted man finally found justice, but at too high a cost.

Source: NBCDFW, "'Real' North Dallas Rapist Trial Begins Wednesday," Jan. 18, 2012