Is a good faith reasonable belief a defense to a charge of statutory rape?
California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from People v. Olsen, 205 Cal.Rptr. 492, 36 Cal.3d 638, 685 P.2d 52 (Cal. 1984):
Twenty years ago, this court in People v. Hernandez (1964) 61 Cal.2d 529, 39 Cal.Rptr. 361, 393 P.2d 673, overruled established[36 Cal.3d 643] precedent, 9 and held that an accused's good faith, reasonable belief that a victim was 18 years or more of age was a defense to a charge of statutory rape. (Id., at p. 536, 39 Cal.Rptr. 361, 393 P.2d 673.) 10
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