Opinion ID: 1757479
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Whether the trial court erred by admitting hearsay testimony.

Text: Eakes complains of the trial court's admission of hearsay from Deputy Mike McKee, Dr. Alice Lorenzana, a doctor specializing in pediatrics, who initially examined April, and Linda Palmer, a Department of Human Services social worker. While Eakes admits the trial court conducted the hearing mandated by M.R.E. 803(25) to determine admissibility of hearsay offered by Linda Palmer, he disagrees with the trial court's ruling. He also argues that the lack of such hearing and lack of written findings of trustworthiness regarding the hearsay testimony of McKee and Lorenzana are errors requiring reversal. Further, Eakes contends the trial court erred by not requiring Lorenzana to show that the hearsay offered by her was obtained for purposes of medical diagnosis and treatment. Although Eakes failed to object at trial, he now asks this Court to reverse on this issue by finding plain error. The State counters that Palmer's testimony was properly admitted pursuant to M.R.E. 803(25). Eakes' timely objection to the hearsay testimony of McKee, according to the State, was sustained; however, the defense then failed to request an instruction to the jury to disregard. Regarding Lorenzana's testimony, the State claims admission was proper pursuant to M.R.E. 803(4) and asks this Court to extend the reasoning of Jones v. State, 606 So.2d 1051 (Miss. 1992). Even without an extension, the State argues admission of Lorenzana's testimony does not require reversal because the declarant actually testified and was available for cross-examination.
Linda Palmer testified that April, Shawn, and June had identified Eakes as the perpetrator of this crime. When Palmer first began to repeat what April had told her, Eakes objected to the hearsay. The State argued such testimony was admissible pursuant to M.R.E. 803(25). M.R.E. 803(25) provides an exception to the hearsay rule for: [a] statement made by a child of tender years describing any act of sexual contact performed with or on the child by another ... if (a) the court finds, in a hearing conducted outside the presence of the jury, that the time, content, and circumstances of the statement provide substantial indicia of reliability; and (b) the child either (1) testifies at the proceedings; or (2) is unavailable as a witness: provided, that when the child is unavailable as a witness, such statement may be admitted only if there is corroborative evidence of the act. Pursuant to this Rule, the trial court conducted a hearing outside the presence of the jury and quoted the requirements of M.R.E. 803(25). He determined that the jury had viewed the demeanor of Shawn and June when the children testified; April had also been observed on the witness stand; Palmer was an educated, experienced social worker and a credible witness whose opinion regarding the children's truthfulness impressed the court sufficiently to draw the conclusion that the hearsay statements do have sufficient indicia of reliability to be admissible. However, the trial judge noted that he might exclude evidence of any alleged sexual offenses by Eakes against June or Shawn. Palmer then testified to what April had told her about the incidents with Eakes and to April's and Shawn's allegations against Tom and their recanting of these allegations. On cross-examination, Eakes raised the question of June and Shawn having venereal disease and asked Palmer if she knew the source of that disease, which she did not. On redirect, the State continued on this path and asked Palmer what June had said Eakes did to her. Although Eakes objected, the trial court determined that since Eakes had opened the door, the State could pursue this line of questioning. Eakes then objected as to hearsay, which objection was overruled on the basis of M.R.E. 803(25) and the previously conducted hearing pursuant to the Rule. Palmer was allowed to testify regarding Eakes putting his fingers down June's throat, June's reaction after she admitted this to Palmer, and June's reaction to the anatomically-correct nude male doll. [14] Recross was allowed, during which Palmer noted that although Shawn said nobody had abused him, she knew otherwise because of his venereal disease. [15] Re-redirect was not allowed. The `substantial indicia of reliability' required by M.R.E. 803(25) are necessary to prevent confrontation clause problems. Doe v. Doe, 644 So.2d 1199, 1206 (Miss. 1994). The reliability of the statement must be judged independently of any corroborating evidence; otherwise, the confrontation clause may be violated. Doe, 644 So.2d at 1206 (citing Griffith v. State, 584 So.2d 383, 388 (Miss. 1991)). While no mechanical test is available, factors which should be considered in judging reliability are: spontaneity and consistent repetition; mental state of declarant; use of terminology unexpected of a child of similar age; and lack of motive to fabricate. Doe, 644 So.2d at 1206. This list of factors is not exclusive. Doe, 644 So.2d at 1206 (citing Idaho v. Wright, 497 U.S. 805, 822, 110 S.Ct. 3139, 3150, 111 L.Ed.2d 638 (1990)). When the correct legal standard is employed by the trial court, this Court will reverse a finding of admissibility only when there has been an abuse of discretion. Doe, 644 So.2d at 1207. The trial judge conducted a hearing outside the presence of the jury, as required by M.R.E. 803(25)(a), and quoted the requirements of the Rule. He then determined, based on the Myers children's demeanor while on the witness stand and on Palmer's qualifications and opinion, that the requisite reliability existed. Appropriately, no corroborating evidence was mentioned by the judge as a basis for his finding of reliability. Doe, 644 So.2d at 1206 (citing Griffith v. State, 584 So.2d 383, 388 (Miss. 1991)). As all three Myers children had previously testified, no corroborating evidence was necessary for other purposes. See M.R.E. 803(25)(b)(1) and (2). The trial judge, however, made no mention of the Wright factors in his determination that the children's statements were inherently reliable. While June's statements were the most spontaneous, all of the children's statements were made to Palmer during sessions aimed at eliciting such information. The children were consistent regarding their allegations against Eakes. Palmer also testified to the children's mental states: frightened and upset. The terminology used by the children was clearly childlike. Whether there was a motive to fabricate is less clear, given the suggestion that the children named Eakes rather than their Uncle Tom in order that the Myers family might live together again. However, the allegations against Eakes came both before and after any mention of Tom's involvement, arrest, and release. On the whole, there is sufficient support in the record for a finding of reliability. The children testified and were cross-examined thoroughly by Eakes, which precludes any confrontation clause problems. Consequently, the trial judge did not err in allowing Palmer to testify regarding the children's allegations against Eakes. Deputy McKee testified that the Myers children claimed Ricky was April's abuser. Eakes objected to hearsay and the objection was sustained. The court did not instruct the jury to disregard, nor did Eakes request such an instruction. However, at this point in the trial, the Myers children had already testified and been cross-examined. McKee's hearsay testimony was, at most, cumulative and did not serve to further prejudice Eakes. Dr. Lorenzana likewise testified that April, while providing a medical history, [16] said she had been sexually abused and named Ricky as her abuser. Eakes objected to hearsay, but the objection was overruled and the testimony was allowed pursuant to M.R.E. 803(4). This Rule provides, in pertinent part, for admission of [s]tatements made for purposes of medical diagnosis or treatment and describing medical history, or past or present symptoms, pain, or sensations, or the inception or general character of the cause or external source thereof insofar as reasonably pertinent to diagnosis or treatment, regardless of to whom the statements are made, if the court, in its discretion, affirmatively finds that the proffered statements were made under circumstances substantially indicating their trustworthiness. This Rule allows statements identifying the perpetrator in child abuse cases. Doe, 644 So.2d at 1205 (citing Jones v. State, 606 So.2d 1051, 1056 (Miss. 1992) and Mitchell v. State, 539 So.2d 1366 (Miss. 1989)). A dual-pronged test must be met prior to admission of evidence pursuant to M.R.E. 803(4): `the declarant's motive in making the statement must be consistent with the purposes of promoting treatment; and ... the content of the statement must be such as is reasonably relied on by a physician in treatment.' Doe, 644 So.2d at 1206 (quoting Jones v. State, 606 So.2d 1051, 1056 (Miss. 1992) (citing U.S. v. Renville, 779 F.2d 430, 436 (8th Cir.1985))). A statement identifying the perpetrator as a member of the victim's household is reasonably pertinent to treatment and, consequently, reasonably relied upon by physicians in diagnosis and treatment. Doe, 644 So.2d at 1206 (citing Jones, 606 So.2d at 1056-57). Applying, the two-part test which must be met prior to a finding of admissibility, it is first noted that the motive behind informing a treating physician that one has been sexually abused is consistent with the purposes of promoting treatment. The doctor cannot begin to treat the patient without knowing the patient's complaint. Surely prevention of further abuse is part of the treatment of sexual abuse; therefore, the motive behind identifying the perpetrator is also consistent with the purposes of promoting treatment. Given the premise underlying the medical history/diagnosis exception to the hearsay rule, i.e., that patients do not lie to their doctors when requesting treatment, a statement that one has been sexually abused, as well as any identification of the perpetrator, is reasonably pertinent to treatment and, therefore, reasonably relied upon by a treating physician. In Doe, this Court expanded Jones, supra, to allow a finding that the identity of the child's sexual abuser was pertinent to treatment, therefore reasonably relied upon by the treating physician, although the perpetrator was not a member of the child's household. Since the alleged perpetrator in Doe was the child's father, whose visitation rights were at issue, this Court reasoned that prevention of further abuse was an immediate concern. Doe, 644 So.2d at 1206. It follows that prevention of further abuse will always be an immediate concern, whether the perpetrator has daily, weekly, or only sporadic opportunity to abuse a child. There is no logical reason to find that a statement identifying the perpetrator is sufficiently pertinent to treatment and reliable if the perpetrator is someone who has regularly scheduled contact with the child but not if the perpetrator is, instead, a family friend, an acquaintance, or a stranger. The statement regarding April's identification of Eakes as her abuser, although he was not a member of April's household or someone who had regular contact with the child, was properly admitted pursuant to M.R.E. 803(4). In the instant case, the trial court did not make any on-the-record findings regarding the prerequisites to admission pursuant to M.R.E. 803(4). While the Rule does not explicitly command that such findings be made on the record, the lack of any record impedes review by this Court. This Court, therefore, takes this opportunity to instruct trial courts to make on-the-record findings of satisfaction of the two-part test. Had such a court inquiry been made in the instant case, April's statement that she had been sexually abused and her identification of her perpetrator should have been admitted. The child's motive was consistent with the purposes of promoting treatment, and the fact that she was sexually abused is clearly reasonably pertinent to treatment; therefore, it was reasonably relied upon by the treating physician. Although the trial court failed to make on-the-record findings regarding admissibility pursuant to M.R.E. 803(4), there was no abuse of discretion in allowing Dr. Lorenzana's testimony.