Case Name: Commonwealth vs. Roger Bedard
Court: Massachusetts Appeals Court
Jurisdiction: Massachusetts
Decision Date: 1978-12-26
Citations: 6 Mass. App. Ct. 959
Docket Number: 
Parties: Commonwealth vs. Roger Bedard.
Judges: 
Reporter: Massachusetts Appeals Court Reports
Volume: 6
Pages: 959–959

Head Matter:
Commonwealth vs. Roger Bedard.
December 26, 1978.
The case was submitted on briefs.
Susan J. Baronoff for the defendant.
George M. O’Connor, Assistant District Attorney, for the Commonwealth.

Opinion:
There is no absolute rule of law as to the time within which the victim of a sexual assault must make her first complaint of the assault in order to qualify that complaint for admission in evidence as a fresh complaint. See Commonwealth v. Bailey, 370 Mass. 388, 390, 391-392, 392-393 (1976). It is clear from the evidence at voir dire and from the judge's findings thereon that the victim's first complaint in this case was made within a period of time following the rapes which was reasonably prompt in light of all the circumstances. Nothing more was required. The relevant cases are collected in Commonwealth v. Lund, 5 Mass. App. Ct. 884 (1977).
Judgments affirmed.