Opinion ID: 1950659
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Failure to Recall Prosecutrix.

Text: The State's first witness at trial was the prosecutrix, who testified in detail to the occurrences providing the basis for this prosecution. On cross-examination, she was asked, among other things, whether she had made a pre-trial written statement concerning defendant's conduct. After receiving an affirmative answer, defense counsel moved on to other matters, apparently choosing not to delve further into the content of the statement. No mention was made of the statement on either re-direct examination or re-cross examination, or during questioning by the Court. It was not until the State had rested and defendant had called and questioned three witnesses, that defense counsel sought the Court's permission to recall the prosecutrix. The sole purpose underlying the request, counsel explained, was to lay a foundation, through the prosecutrix's testimony concerning the content of the statement, for her later impeachment. Citing defense counsel's earlier opportunity to question the prosecutrix, as well as the fact that the statement did not contradict any of her in-court testimony, the trial Justice denied the request. Defendant now claims that the Justice's refusal was error. Neither party disagrees that a trial Justice enjoys broad discretion in determining the scope of a minor prosecutrix's examination. State v. Dorathy, 132 Me. 291, 170 A. 506 (1934); see also, Rule 611(a), M.R.Evid. Defendant, however, argues that because the prosecutrix's credibility lay at the heart of the State's case, it was an abuse of discretion for the trial Justice to refuse to have her recalled. We disagree. Not only had the prosecutrix been subjected to what must have been very embarrassing questioning by both counsel, but defense counsel also had ample opportunity to question her on the content of the statement, and, in fact, had raised the issue at one point. Defendant cannot now argue that the trial Justice abused his discretion in refusing to subject the prosecutrix to further questioning, when it was through defendant's own omission that the issue was not fully discussed at an earlier point. Defendant's first contention must therefore fail. [1]