Opinion ID: 788549
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Elizabeth Cronin

Text: 26 Cronin recounted her interviews with Edwin after refreshing her recollection with the notes that she took during the interviews. Cronin testified that of seven pages of notes, the first four, dated March 18, 1994, were taken during her second interview with Edwin. The next two pages, undated, were taken during the first interview, and the last page of notes may have been taken later, when Cronin was preparing for a proceeding. The notes were then offered into evidence, and are included in the record. 27 According to Cronin, the DA's Office conducted two interviews with Edwin because it was standard practice to conduct at least two interviews when dealing with a child victim. ADA Greg Bernhard, who had handled the investigation until the DA's Office decided to transfer the prosecution to the Special Prosecutions Division, was also present for both interviews. During the first interview, Cronin elicited general information about Edwin's relationship with Doe and how the two had met. The second interview covered the alleged sexual contact and its aftermath. 28 Cronin stated that Edwin had met Doe through Edward R. in early summer, and that Doe would drive Edwin to various places. Sometimes Doe would attempt to touch Edwin's groin in the car. At some point before the alleged contact that formed the basis of the sodomy charge, Edwin, unaccompanied by any other boys, was playing on the computer in a back room in Doe's apartment when Doe came up behind him and attempted to put his hands down Edwin's pants. Doe told Edwin to stand up, and when Edwin struggled, Doe carried Edwin into the bedroom. When Edwin continued to struggle, Doe became angry and threatened not to drive Edwin home. 29 On August 13, 1993, Edwin again accompanied Doe back to his apartment. Doe's advances began as they had on the earlier occasion but went further this time; once Doe had maneuvered Edwin onto the bed, he pulled Edwin's pants down and put his mouth around Edwin's penis. Edwin pushed Doe's hands away and kicked him, and Doe retreated. Doe later accused Edwin of having provoked Doe into coming on to him, and gave Edwin $50 or $60. Cronin asked Edwin why he had accompanied Doe to his apartment after the first incident, which itself had involved an element of compulsion, and Edwin answered that he had thought that because he had made it clear to Doe that he did not like the advances, Doe would not come on to him again. 30 In accordance with standard practice, Cronin also asked Edwin to describe Doe's apartment in detail, in order to verify that Edwin had actually been there. Cronin was later able to verify Edwin's description with Storino's and Bernhard's knowledge of the apartment, based on their search of the property. 31 Based on the interviews with Edwin, the DA's Office decided to charge Doe with a sex offense, and Cronin contacted Doe's attorney, Murray Richman, to discuss the charges. Cronin told Richman that the DA's Office believed it had sufficient evidence to charge Doe with forcible sodomy, a Class B felony that would carry a sentence of prison time, but that because Doe was cooperating with the federal government in the Bagarozy and Federowicz trial, the DA's Office was willing to consider charging Doe with second-degree sodomy, a Class D felony that would probably result in a sentence of probation.