Source: https://www.courts.maine.gov/opinions_orders/opinions/documents/00me32wi.htm
Timestamp: 2019-04-19 10:46:23+00:00

Document:
Wilder contends that the District Court: (1) misapplied 17-A M.R.S.A.
vacate the convictions and remand for entry of a judgment of acquittal.
together had apparently gone without significant incident.
[¶3]  The son was the only witness to the events who testified at trial.
A.	I was talking too much.
Q.	Do you talk a lot?
Q.	Does that annoy people sometimes?
Q.	Were you being fresh to your dad?
Q.	Were you saying anything bad to him?
the Judge where he grabbed you on your body?
A.	I don't remember what side it was.
Q.	What part of your body was it?
Q.	Okay.  How did it feel when he grabbed you?
A.	He-he squeezed so it kinda hurt.
Q.	Okay.  How long did he squeeze?
Q.	Okay.  What did you do when he squeezed you?
A.	I just had to sit there.
Q.	Okay.  Did you cry?
Q.	Did you say anything to him?
Q.	How did it make you feel?
for sure I would have a bruise on there.
up.  Appellant squeezed [his son] hard enough to hurt him."
me in the same shoulder."
Q.	Was it the same as the first time it happened?
Q. 	And it was the same spot?
Q.	How did it feel?
Q.	Okay.  Did it hurt you?
A.	It hurt a little bit more since he did it in the same spot.
responded:  "We just started playing the game again."
grabbed [him] in the same spot."
you were at your dad's?
Q.	Can you talk about that?
me on the mouth--over my mouth and said "Shut up."
times--enough to make a bruise.
Q.	Okay.  How did it feel when he squeezed your mouth?
A.	It made me angry, and it hurt.
own hand?  Can you show where he put his hand?
A. 	Well, he reached over and he put his hand like that.
Q.	Okay.  And you said that it bru--your face bruised?
Q. 	Where were the bruises?
and one big thumb over there.
Q.	How--when did you first notice those bruises?
Q.	After you got home?
[the boy] on his mouth, squeezed and said[,] 'Shut up.'"
[¶12]  Thus, in each of the three incidents, when Wilder "grabbed"
his son, he caused transient pain and minor, temporary bruises.
jailed;  "I thought my mom would put him in jail."
investigated by a Cumberland police officer, who took a report from the boy.
prosecution on three counts of assault was initiated.
gross sexual assault against a daughter a number of years in the past.
court, we review directly the judgment of the District Court.  See Barclay v.
familial relationship with his or her child.  See Quilloin v. Walcott, 434 U.S.
punishment of the child exceeds the bounds of reason and moderation."
against extreme punishment."  See id.
'reasonable degree of force' to discipline."  Id. at 1304 n.2.
determination that the parental control justification "does not apply here."
defendant.  See State v. Collin, 1999 ME 187, ¶ 11, 741 A.2d 1074; State v.
106(1) justification at issue in the trial.
basis for a parent's exercising control to prevent or punish misconduct.
a ruling we would have to make to uphold the District Court's determination.
justification at issue for each of the three assault charges.
reasonable doubt."  17-A M.R.S.A. § 101(1) (Supp. 1999).  See State v.
¶ 6, 695 A.2d at 117; Begin, 652 A.2d at 106.
472 A.2d 948, 951 (Me. 1984).
Instruction Manual, § 6-56 (1999).
law, the evidence presented was insufficient to support the convictions.
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