Title: State v. Kasold
Citation: 110 Ariz. 558, 521 P.2d 990
Docket Number: 2818
State: Arizona
Issuer: Arizona Supreme Court
Date: April 17, 1974

110 Ariz. 558 (1974) 521 P.2d 990 The STATE of Arizona, Appellee, v. Robert Tate KASOLD, Appellant. No. 2818. Supreme Court of Arizona, In Division. April 17, 1974. *559 Gary K. Nelson, Atty. Gen., by Shirley H. Frondorf, Special Asst. Atty. Gen., Phoenix, for appellee. Derickson &amp; Kemper, by James Hamilton Kemper, Phoenix, for appellant. CAMERON, Vice Chief Justice. This is an appeal from a jury verdict and judgment of guilt to the crime of molestation of child, § 13-653 A.R.S., and a sentence thereon of not less than twenty years nor more than life imprisonment. We are asked to consider four questions on appeal: The facts necessary for a determination of this matter on appeal are as follows. Sometime during the month of July, 1971, while the defendant's wife and family were away on vacation, the defendant took a series of photographs, with the help of a self-timer, of the defendant and a mentally retarded neighborhood girl, then eight years old. The photographs show the defendant and the neighbor girl in various poses, one in which the little girl is watching cartoons on TV while the defendant is kneeling behind her fondling his private parts. There are three photographs of the little girl seated on the floor in the defendant's living room while the defendant stands over her and appears to be masturbating. Three photographs have them seated next to each other on the couch with the defendant's private parts exposed through his open fly. During all of this time the defendant was dressed in a pair of cutoff shorts. Two photographs show the defendant seated on the floor near the couch with his private parts exposed and the defendant appears to be rubbing the private parts of the little girl, although the little girl is dressed and the defendant has his hand on her shorts. Three other photographs show the little girl standing on her head with her legs spread apart and the defendant standing above her with his penis pointed to, but not touching, her private parts or clothing. The last photograph in the evidence shows the defendant with his pants around his knees, his private parts exposed, and the little girl doing a headstand in front, facing backwards, and he is holding her legs spread apart. In all of the photographs the victim is clothed. This is a companion case to State v. Kasold, No. 2819, 110 Ariz. 563, 521 P.2d 995, filed this day. As a result of the search warrant in the companion case, the police obtained the roll of undeveloped film. When the film was developed, the police were able to identify the victim as a neighbor girl. Motion to suppress was denied, and the pictures were admitted into evidence based upon the testimony of the victim's mother. The defendant testified on his own behalf and admitted the taking of the pictures contending: The defendant contended that at all times during the taking of the pictures that the victim never saw him exposed. Defendant also denied that he ever touched the private parts of the body of the victim. For example: The victim was called but not allowed to testify. The jury was also instructed on the offense of contributing to the delinquency of a minor (§ 13-822 A.R.S.), but the jury returned a verdict of guilty as charged. SEARCH AND SEIZURE We have discussed the matter of the search warrant in the companion case of State v. Kasold, No. 2819, 110 Ariz. 563, 521 P.2d 995, filed this day, and have held that the search warrant was a proper warrant, and the items seized thereunder were admissible. It makes no difference that the information obtained leads to a different crime than that which the officers believed to have taken place when the search warrant was obtained. State v. McMann, 3 Ariz. App. 111, 412 P.2d 286 (1966). ADMISSION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS We find no error in the admission of the photographs despite the defendant's claim of lack of proper foundation. The mother was able to identify both the victim and the defendant, and the jury was able to identify the defendant from the pictures. The defendant described himself as an amateur photographer and we believe that his pictures accurately portray what he intended them to portray. We find no error. TESTIMONY OF THE VICTIM The defendant, testifying in his own behalf, stated: At the conclusion of the defendant's case, the prosecutor indicated his desire to call Mona Whiting to the witness stand in rebuttal. Defendant's counsel objected to the girl being called into the courtroom at all, and asked that a preliminary hearing in chambers be held to determine the girl's competency to testify as a witness. The record reflects the following: After the competency hearing in chambers, the court determined that the little girl should not be allowed to testify. Our statutes state: And: Rule 43(c) of the Rules of Civil Procedure, 16 A.R.S., reads as follows: Although Rule 43(c) would appear to provide that a child under ten years of age may be called as a witness before the court conducts a competency hearing, as was done here, we believe the order in which this occurs is left to the discretion of the trial judge. In State v. Harris, 107 Ariz. 41, 481 P.2d 504 (1971), we impliedly approved the procedure of conducting the hearing out of the presence of the jury before ruling that the witness could be called. In the instant case the witness was called first and under Rule 43(c) we find no error. Also, the defendant contended on the stand that the witness was capable of testifying as to the facts indicated, and it was proper to allow the jury to at least see the witness and her demeanor to ascertain themselves whether or not the witness could testify as the defendant contended she would have been able to do. We find no error. SUFFICIENCY OF THE EVIDENCE The defendant at oral argument raised the question of the sufficiency of the evidence to support a conviction for child molestation. The testimony of the State is unique in that it consisted of the introduction of the photographs of the defendant, plus some foundational material which went to the identity of the victim and her mental state. Thus, the only evidence upon which the conviction is based are the photographs previously described. In at least four of the photographs the jury could believe that there was a touching of the private parts of the victim through her shorts, and in at least several of the other pictures the victim would most certainly have seen the defendant exposed. It is contended by the defendant that neither of these things happened. We believe that the jury was able to reasonably infer from these pictures that the defendant did in fact commit the acts for which he was charged, and that the court properly denied the motion for directed verdict at the end of the State's case as well as the motion for acquittal. We cannot restrain ourselves from stating that this is a case in which one picture is worth a thousand words. Judgment and sentence affirmed. STRUCKMEYER and HOLOHAN, JJ., concur.