The police department that has jurisdiction over the area where Christine Blasey Ford claims Judge Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her says it has not opened an investigation into the matter because Ford has not requested one, among other reasons.
The Montgomery County Police Department says it stands by its “victim-centered” approach to launching investigations, despite Maryland Republican Gov. Larry Hogan’s call Thursday for a full investigation of Ford’s allegations and a Wednesday letter from 11 Democratic Maryland state lawmakers with a similar request.
A police department statement in effect as of Thursday explains its position, reported The Washington Post.
Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault executive director Lisae C. Jordan pointed out that an investigation into Blasey Ford’s claims would be legally tricky because attempted rape was not a felony without a statute of limitations in Maryland when she claimed the assault happened, according to the WaPo.
“Maryland laws on sex crimes have evolved significantly since the early 1980s,” Jordan told WaPo. “In 1982, there was little awareness of the impact of sexual violence, assaults that did not involve vaginal intercourse were not even considered sex crimes, and many viewed sexual assaults by acquaintances as inconsequential. It’s astounding that any woman ever reported rape.”
Attempted rape was classified as a misdemeanor with a one-year statute of limitations in the state before 1996, according to WaPo.
