Opinion ID: 1562529
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Complainant's Trial Testimony

Text: Betsy testified that the first incident of touching by defendant that she could clearly remember occurred when she was approximately eight or nine years old; that incident occurred during one of the above-mentioned weekend visits. She testified that, at a moment when she was in defendant's bedroom, he grabbed and held onto her breasts and touched inside of her private (complainant's word) with his fingers. [4] Betsy additionally testified that, on a different occasion, defendant put his private into her private while both were in the bathroom at defendant's home. [5] Betsy also testified to two additional incidents of vaginal intercourse that she said took place in defendant's bedroom. According to Betsy's testimony, one of these incidents occurred when defendant called Betsy over to his bed, removed her clothing, placed her on top of him, and put his private inside her, which act she said was painful. [6] Additionally, while testifying at trial, Betsy unexpectedly described a second incident of vaginal intercourse that she said also occurred in defendant's bedroom. [7] Betsy testified that this incident occurred when defendant called her over to his bed, threw her on her back onto the bed, got on top of her, moved her legs apart, and placed his private inside her, moving it in and out. This surprise incident had neither been charged in the indictment nor specified as uncharged misconduct that the state would seek to introduce pursuant to one of the exceptions set forth in Rule 404(b). There was no defense objection to Betsy's testimony concerning this surprise incident; moreover, during cross-examination, defense counsel questioned Betsy about the surprise incident and especially about her failure to have disclosed it prior to testifying at trial. At a later point in the trial, the trial justice, the prosecutor, and the defense attorney all agreed that this surprise incident, if deemed admissible, constituted Rule 404(b) evidence. [8]