This Division Two case is important because its centered on two issues often encountered in child sexual assault cases: (1) the competency of the alleged child victim; and (2) hearsay statements of the child heard by others, such as the child’s mother. A pretrial hearing was conducted to address these issues, with testimony from the Read More…
Category: Criminal Sex Offense
Public Indecency Impossible to Treat
Are Indecent Exposure Cases Handled Too Leniently by the Court System? Prosecutors over the decades consistently tell me that the courts handle “Indecent Exposure” cases much too leniently. The feeling is that “exposers” are really a serious breed of sex offender that get away with deviancy. Likewise, therapists also claim that persons engaging in public Read More…
Rape Shield Statute Drawbacks: No Protection Against Those Crying Wolf
Washington’s “Rape Shield Law” limits a person charged with sexual assault from cross-examining their accusers regarding past sexual behavior. The spirit of the rape shield law is admirable and has merit. Clearly, just because someone has ‘slept around’ or has a kinky sex life, does not mean they consented to sexual contact on every occasion. Read More…