Opinion ID: 2565993
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Statement of the Specific Facts

Text: [¶ 27] Before the trial in this case, the prosecutor filed a Motion in Limine  Exclude Evidence of Prior Report Made by C.S. In the motion the prosecutor noted that in October of 1998 a report had been made to the Department of Family Services that CS had observed her mother masturbating in a bathtub. An investigation had been made, and the Department of Family Services had determined that the claim was unsubstantiated, with the result that no further action was taken. The prosecutor argued that the 1998 occurrence was not relevant to the case against Mr. Lopez and was not impeachment evidence in any sense. The prosecutor further asserted that any probative value of such evidence was outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues, or misleading the jury; and the evidence was not admissible under W.R.E. 608 as evidence of the character of a witness. [¶ 28] Mr. Lopez's counsel responded to the prosecutor's motion, arguing that the 1998 allegations made by CS regarding her mother's conduct were relevant in that, if the allegations were false, such was relevant as to whether CS had made a false allegation against Mr. Lopez in the present case. Alternatively, counsel argued that if CS's allegations were true, they were relevant to show an alternative source of CS's sexual knowledge, and an improper motive on the part of CS. [¶ 29] The court held a hearing on the prosecutor's motion in limine. The prosecutor asserted that, in 1998, when CS was eight years old, she observed her mother masturbating in the bathtub and reported that fact; the acts did not fall within child abuse guidelines, and the Department of Family Services filed a report that the allegations were unsubstantiated. Subsequently, CS's mother admitted that CS saw her washing her private parts while the child was in the bathroom. The prosecutor argued that the 1998 occurrence was not relevant to the present charges against Mr. Lopez and could not be used to attack the credibility of CS. [¶ 30] Mr. Lopez's counsel responded that CS's allegations had been made during the time of her parents' divorce, when there was controversy over the custody of CS and her brother. Counsel argued that the prior occurrence was relevant in order to impeach the credibility of CS. He further argued that, if CS had seen her mother masturbate, it was admissible as a source of CS's sexual knowledge. [¶ 31] The court ruled that, while prior false accusations by an alleged victim of a sexual assault would be relevant, in the present case it had not been shown that CS had made a false report. Accordingly, the court granted the prosecutor's motion in limine, although it agreed to consider the authority cited by Mr. Lopez's counsel and indicated it would reverse its ruling if appropriate. [¶ 32] The first day of trial, Mr. Lopez's counsel filed a motion to reconsider the court's ruling on the prosecutor's motion in limine. Counsel argued that, if CS had mistakenly reported, it was relevant to the possibility that CS had also been mistaken when she reported that Mr. Lopez had touched her private parts. Counsel reiterated that the incident with CS's mother was relevant as a source of CS's sexual knowledge. The motion to reconsider was accompanied by copies of the Department of Family Services investigatory file from 1998. [¶ 33] At trial, in the cross-examination of CS, the following took place: [Defense]: He tickled your private parts? [CS]: Yes. Q. It was after you were done, and he tickled you on your foot? A. Yes. Q. And you were giggling, and then you said he moved up farther and tickled you on your private part? A. Yes. Q. Had you ever seen anything like that, tickling your private parts ever before? A. Well, my mom did, but that's about it. The prosecutor promptly objected that this questioning was in violation of the court's order on the prosecutor's motion in limine. Mr. Lopez's counsel argued that the information was relevant and asked the court to reconsider its ruling and to permit the questioning. The court ruled that counsel should make no further inquiry on that, but that she could make an offer of proof. [¶ 34] At the close of the prosecution's case-in-chief, Mr. Lopez's counsel made an offer of proof relating to Mr. Lopez's motion to reconsider the order granting the prosecutor's motion in limine. Mr. Lopez's counsel called as witnesses CS and CS's mother. CS testified that her mother was taking a bath one day, and my brother and I went in there, or something, just to go visit with her, and then she started putting her hand somewhere between her vagina and started, well, touching herself in between the vagina lips. CS described her mother's act with her hand as kind of like she was sawing. [¶ 35] CS's mother testified that in October of 1998, CS had said she had seen her doing something sexual, i.e., masturbating in the bathtub. CS's mother admitted that she had indeed been masturbating. Mr. Lopez's counsel then argued that, in light of Lynn Huylar's testimony of the importance of contextual details in a child's story, this prior experience would be proper impeachment of [CS] to show that she knows these details, and she knows of these things because she's seen her mother do them. The trial court denied the motion to reconsider its ruling excluding this evidence, stating that now that it appeared that CS's 1998 allegation was in fact true, I think it's just remote and collateral, and question the probative value. It just doesn't go at all to her credibility in this case, and so I will not change that earlier ruling.