Opinion ID: 1758374
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Child Psychologist's Expert Testimony

Text: Townsend additionally argues that much of the child psychologist's testimony was erroneously admitted at trial. First, Townsend contends that the trial judge erroneously allowed the psychologist to comment on the truthfulness of the child. At trial, the psychologist testified as to the child's credibility by indicating that the child's statements to her were truthful because, in her opinion, the child was capable of distinguishing between the truth and a lie and pretending and playing. An expert may testify concerning a child's ability to comprehend the difference between telling the truth and telling a lie for purposes of determining whether the child is competent to testify at trial. It is well established, however, that an expert is prohibited from commenting to the fact-finder as to the truthfulness or credibility of a witness's statements in general. Tingle v. State, 536 So.2d 202 (Fla. 1988); Weatherford v. State, 561 So.2d 629 (Fla. 1st DCA 1990); Fuller v. State, 540 So.2d 182 (Fla. 5th DCA 1989); Davis v. State, 527 So.2d 962 (Fla. 5th DCA 1988); Ward v. State, 519 So.2d 1082 (Fla. 1st DCA 1988); Kruse v. State, 483 So.2d 1383 (Fla. 4th DCA 1986), review dismissed, 507 So.2d 588 (Fla. 1987). The psychologist should not have been allowed to testify regarding the credibility of the child. Townsend also asserts that the trial judge erred in allowing the psychologist to testify to a number of hearsay statements of the child, some of which were obtained through the use of anatomical dolls and some of which related to the identity of the abuser. A trial court has broad discretion in determining the range of subjects on which an expert witness will be allowed to testify. Glendening v. State, 536 So.2d 212 (Fla. 1988), cert. denied, 492 U.S. 907, 109 S.Ct. 3219, 106 L.Ed.2d 569 (1989); Johnson v. State, 393 So.2d 1069 (Fla. 1980), cert. denied, 454 U.S. 882, 102 S.Ct. 364, 70 L.Ed.2d 191 (1981). Moreover, if relevant, [2] a medical expert witness may testify as to whether, in the expert's opinion, the behavior of a child is consistent with the behavior of a child who has been sexually abused. Glendening; North v. State, 65 So.2d 77 (Fla. 1952), aff'd, 346 U.S. 932, 74 S.Ct. 376, 98 L.Ed. 423 (1954); Ward (doctor's testimony that child was having stomach aches, sleep disturbances, and acting dependent, was admissible to reflect basis for opinion that child suffered from post-traumatic stress syndrome); Ferradas v. State, 434 So.2d 24 (Fla. 3d DCA 1983). Even so, great care must be taken by a trial judge in determining what testimony of an expert is admissible because a jury often places great emphasis on the testimony of experts in this type of proceeding. Dirk Lorenzen, The Admissibility of Expert Psychological Testimony in Cases Involving the Sexual Misuse of a Child, 42 U. Miami L.Rev. 1033, 1035-36 (1988) (Because the lay jury has only the common experience of everyday life to apply to the fact pattern before it, there is a risk that it will defer to the judgment of an expert.). Moreover, the trier of fact is likely to believe that a clinical evaluation technique employed by an expert, such as the use of anatomically correct dolls to evaluate a child for an incident of sexual abuse, is valid. Id. When an expert testifies regarding how a child behaved with anatomically correct dolls, the expert is repeating the communications of the child witness. For this reason, a trial court must evaluate such testimony under the requirements of section 90.803(23) just as with any other hearsay statement of a child abuse victim. Experts generally agree that contacts between a child and an expert evaluating the child for sexual abuse should be videotaped to ensure the trustworthiness of the communications and to ensure that the expert did not lead the child during the evaluation. Lorenzen, Expert Psychological Testimony, 42 U. Miami L.Rev. at 1069-70; Fla.S.Comm. on Judiciary-Civ., tape recording of proceedings (May 1, 1985) (Florida State Archives) (comments of Dr. J.M. Whitworth). In any event, courts must take great care to ensure the reliability of the statements admitted at trial. Likewise, statements of identity are not admissible in this type of case absent a reliability determination under section 90.803(23). State v. Jones, 625 So.2d 821 (Fla. 1993) (statements of fault or identity are not admissible under the medical diagnosis hearsay exception contained in section 90.803(4) but may be admissible under section 90.803(23) if they meet the requirements of that section). Consequently, as with other child victim hearsay statements, the trial judge was required to review and make specific factual findings under the strict trustworthiness and reliability requirements of section 90.803(23) as to the admissibility of the child's verbal communications to the psychologist and of the communications observed by the psychologist through the use of anatomical dolls.