Opinion ID: 4470376
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Long’s trial

Text: Long’s trial began in Cabarrus County Superior Court in September 1976. On the first day, Long’s trial counsel moved to suppress Mrs. Bost’s courthouse and photographic identifications, arguing that they were impermissibly tainted by the officers’ actions. After permitting the parties to question Mrs. Bost outside the presence of the jury, the court denied Long’s motions. In its case in chief, the State called Mrs. Bost along with her examining physician and several law enforcement officers. Mrs. Bost identified Long as her attacker, pointing to him in the courtroom. Long’s defense had several components. First, he sought to impeach Mrs. Bost’s testimony on the grounds that cross-racial eyewitness identification is often suspect. Second, the defense pointed to the lack of any physical evidence tying him to the crime scene. Third, Long introduced testimony about his whereabouts on the evening of the crime to establish an alibi. 3 The jury convicted Long of both burglary and rape. He was sentenced to two life terms in prison, and his conviction was affirmed on direct appeal by the Supreme Court of North Carolina. North Carolina v. Long, 237 S.E.2d 728 (N.C. 1977). 3 Along with testimony about his activities earlier in the day and after the attack, Long’s mother testified that he returned home at 8:30 p.m. and went upstairs until around 10:30, when he left. She also explained that, while upstairs, he spoke with his girlfriend and two-year-old son by phone. She testified that part of the call took place shortly after 9:00 (around the time of the crime), when she picked up the phone in the kitchen to talk with Long’s two-year-old son for five or ten minutes. See J.A. 475–76; see also J.A. 468 (Long’s girlfriend describing the same call). 7