Opinion ID: 2598178
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Detective Kerr

Text: ¶ 35 Kerr testified about the competency protocol he gave to A.D., relating to her ability to tell the truth. Yes . . . it's kind of a competency. 2 RP at 73. When asked why, Kerr responded, [b]ecause I'm  I'm interested inin this person being able to distinguish between truth and lies. Id. at 74. Kerr testified that A.D. was able to distinguish between the truth and a lie and that A.D. expressly promised to tell him the truth. Kerr then related what A.D. said in her interview. ¶ 36 The Court of Appeals' majority conceded that Detective Kerr did not offer his direct opinion on A.D.'s credibility. Kirkman, 126 Wash.App. at 105, 107 P.3d 133. The court nonetheless ruled that because Kerr told the jury that he tested A.D.'s competency and her truthfulness, id., that he [i]n essence told the jury that A.D. told him the truth in providing her account of events. Id. The Court of Appeals cited Demery for the proposition that a police officer's testimony may particularly affect a jury because of its `special aura of reliability.' Id. (quoting Demery, 144 Wash.2d at 765, 30 P.3d 1278). ¶ 37 The challenged portion of Kerr's testimony is simply an account of the interview protocol he used to obtain A.D.'s statement. Kerr did not testify that he believed A.D. or that she was telling the truth. Therefore, no manifest error occurred that could relieve Kirkman of his duty to object. ¶ 38 By testifying as to this interview protocol, Kerr merely provided the necessary context that enabled the jury to assess the reasonableness of the . . . responses. Demery, 144 Wash.2d at 764, 30 P.3d 1278. Detectives often use a similar protocol in all child witness interviews, whether they believe the child witness or not. ¶ 39 An interview protocol as employed by Kerr does not carry a special aura of reliability beyond the special aura of reliability conferred upon a witness when a judge swears him or her to tell the truth in front of the jury at trial. See RCW 5.28.020. A jury must still determine credibility and truthfulness of each witness. Kerr's testimony was not a manifest error of constitutional magnitude.