Child Sexual Abuse Evidence & Trial Court Procedure Issues Judge Robert P. Ringland Revised July 2015 i PREFACE Child sexual abuse cases are one of the most challenging types of cases to deal with as an attorney or judge. This guide is designed to assist the bench and bar in addressing those evidentiary issues common to those cases. While most of the cases herein involve children I have occasionally mentioned cases involving adult victims where the holdings may pertain to child sexual abuse. I have, with rare exceptions, avoided reporting holdings involving prior acts under Evidence Rules 403-404 in as much as these cases are generally fact specific and are decided on a case by case basis. This bench book is hopefully designed to be a starting guide in research and certainly not as a final source. It is not designed to provide legal advice. I wish to acknowledge the following who have helped me compile these cases over the past 26 years: Sasha Blaine, Esq., Aaron Susmarski, Carolyn Besl, Esq., Joshua Vineyard, Esq., Daniel Linneman, Esq., Andrew Thaler, Esq., Laura Johnson, Esq., Kate Bedinghaus, Esq., Becky Carroll Hudson, Esq., Melissa Whalen, Esq., Terrance McQuown, Esq., Sally Moore, Esq. and Diana Thomas, Esq. and Ethan Miller. ii Table of Contents I. CHILD ABUSE: REPORTING & REPORT CONFIDENTIALITY ............................................. 1 A. DUTY TO REPORT: THE ROLE OF R.C. § 2151.421 & § 5153.16 ..................................................................... 1 B. CONFIDENTIALITY OF CHILD ABUSE REPORTS ............................................................................................... 2 II. THE INDICTMENT .................................................................................................................................. 8 A. JURISDICTION ................................................................................................................................................. 8 B. CHARGES OCCURRING OVER A PERIOD OF TIME ........................................................................................... 8 C. USE OF VICTIM’S INITIALS ............................................................................................................................ 15 D. USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS ................................................................................................................................. 17 E. LENGTH OF TIME FROM PERPETRATION OF CRIME TO INDICTMENT ........................................................... 17 F. EVIDENCE ESTABLISHING INDIVIDUAL DISTINGUISHABLE INCIDENTS REQUIRED FOR MULTIPLE CHARGES 22 G. POST-TRIAL AMENDMENT OF THE INDICTMENT .......................................................................................... 25 III. PREPARATION FOR TRIAL .............................................................................................................. 27 A. ALLOWING A DEFENDANT TO REVIEW GRAND JURY TESTIMONY ............................................................... 27 B. CRIMINAL RULE 16(B)(1)(G): EXAMINATION OF WITNESS’ STATEMENT .................................................... 27 C. CLOSURE OF COURTROOM ............................................................................................................................ 28 D. VIDEOTAPING AND CLOSED CIRCUIT TRIAL ................................................................................................. 33 E. DETERMINING COMPETENCY OF CHILD WITNESSES ................................................................................... 38 F. LEADING QUESTIONS .................................................................................................................................... 58 G. USE OF SEXUALLY ANATOMICALLY CORRECT DOLLS ................................................................................... 60 H. EVIDENCE OF DEFENDANT’S CHARACTER .................................................................................................... 62 I. EXPERT WITNESSES ...................................................................................................................................... 63 J. VICTIM’S/DEFENDANT’S SEXUAL ACTIVITY (RAPE SHIELD) ....................................................................... 95 IV. HEARSAY................................................................................................................................................ 122 A. IN GENERAL ................................................................................................................................................ 122 B. NOT HEARSAY ............................................................................................................................................. 122 C. OFFERED WITHOUT REFERENCE TO TRUTH (801(C)) .............................................................................. 123 D. PRIOR CONSISTENT STATEMENT (801(D)(1)(B)): ..................................................................................... 123 E. PRIOR IDENTIFICATION (RULE 801(D)(1)(C)): .......................................................................................... 125 F. ADMISSION OF PARTY-OPPONENT (RULE 801(D)(2))................................................................................ 126 G. HEARSAY EXCEPTIONS WHERE AVAILABILITY IMMATERIAL (RULE 803) ................................................ 126 H. HEARSAY EXCEPTIONS WHERE DECLARANT UNAVAILABLE (RULE 804) ................................................. 127 I. AVAILABILITY ISSUES FOR RULE 804 ......................................................................................................... 130 J. CHILD STATEMENTS IN ABUSE CASES (RULE 807) .................................................................................... 132 K. OTHER HEARINGS ....................................................................................................................................... 133 L. THE EFFECT OF CRAWFORD V. WASHINGTON ON THE SIXTH AMENDMENT RIGHT OF CONFRONTATION 134 V. SPECIFIC SEXUAL CRIMES ............................................................................................................ 164 A. GENERALLY ................................................................................................................................................. 164 B. FORCE AND/OR THREATS OF FORCE ........................................................................................................... 164 C. RAPE ............................................................................................................................................................ 175 D. FELONIOUS SEXUAL PENETRATION ............................................................................................................ 196 E. GROSS SEXUAL IMPOSITION ....................................................................................................................... 197 F. SEXUAL IMPOSITION ................................................................................................................................... 209 G. SEXUAL BATTERY ........................................................................................................................................ 215 H. CRIMINAL CHILD ENTICEMENT (R.C. § 2905.05) .................................................................................... 220 I. PANDERING OBSCENITY INVOLVING MINOR PER 2907.321 (A)(6) .......................................................... 221 J. PANDERING SEXUALLY ORIENTED MATTER INVOLVING A MINOR (R.C. 2907.322 (A)(1)) ................... 221 K. ILLEGAL USE OF MINOR IN NUDITY-ORIENTED MATERIAL (R.C. § 2907.323) ...................................... 223 iii L. EFFECT OF ASHCROFT V. THE FREE SPEECH COALITION ON R.C. 2907.322 AND 2907.323 ................... 225 M. IMPORTUNING (R.C. § 2907.07) ............................................................................................................... 228 N. DISSEMINATING MATTER HARMFUL TO JUVENILES (R.C. § 2907.31)..................................................... 231 O. UNLAWFUL SEXUAL CONDUCT WITH A MINOR (CORRUPTION OF A MINOR) (R.C. 2907.04) ................. 231 P. EXPOSURE ................................................................................................................................................... 234 Q. INCEST (R.C. 2907.03(A)(5)) .................................................................................................................... 234 R. COMPELLING PROSTITUTION (R.C. 2907.21) ............................................................................................ 234 S. KIDNAPPING FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENGAGING IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY AGAINST THE WILL OF THE VICTIM (R.C. 2905.01(A)(4)) ................................................................................................................................ 234 T. VOYEURISM (R.C. 2907.08) ...................................................................................................................... 235 U. CRIMINAL CHILD ENTICEMENT (R.C. 2905.05) ....................................................................................... 235 VI. SEXUAL CLASSIFICATION UNDER R. C. CHAPTER 2950 ............................................... 237 A. GENERALLY ................................................................................................................................................. 237 B. SEXUALLY ORIENTED OFFENSES ...............................................................................................................