Opinion ID: 4538476
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Acceptable purposes

Text: ¶30 Under Wis. Stat. § 904.04(2)(a), evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts is inadmissible unless offered for an acceptable purpose such as motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, or absence of mistake or accident. Here, the circuit court instructed the jury to consider the other acts evidence only for the purposes of motive, context, and background. ¶31 The other acts evidence of sexual assault was offered for the admissible purpose of proving that Gutierrez's motive was to intentionally touch A.R. for the purpose of sexual arousal or gratification. See Wis. Stat. § 948.01(5)(a) (defining the element of sexual contact). When a defendant's motive for an alleged sexual assault is an element of the charged crime, we have held that other crimes evidence may be offered for the purpose of establishing . . . motive. State v. Hurley, 2015 WI 35, ¶72, 361 Wis. 2d 529, 861 N.W.2d 174 (alteration in original) (emphasis omitted) (quoting State v. Hunt, 2003 WI 81, ¶60, 263 Wis. 2d 1, 666 N.W.2d 771); see also Davidson, 236 Wis. 2d 537, ¶¶57-59. The evidence further provided context for A.R.'s delayed disclosure and a more complete story for the jury. Context and background, while not expressly listed in Wis. Stat. § 904.04(2)(a), can also be acceptable purposes. See State v. Marinez, 2011 WI 12, ¶27, 331 Wis. 2d 568, 797 N.W.2d 399 (We have previously recognized that context, . . . and providing a more complete background are permissible purposes under Wis. Stat. § 904.04(2)(a).) (citing Hunt, 263 Wis. 2d 1, ¶58). The circuit court did not erroneously 15 No. 2017AP2364-CR exercise its discretion by concluding motive, context, and background were acceptable purposes for the admission of other acts evidence.