Opinion ID: 2272101
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Elaine

Text: Elaine, then twenty-two years old, has a developmental disability stemming from a seizure disorder. Elaine testified that one morning she was on the RIde bus parked in front of the LaPlante Center and defendant asked Corey, another passenger, to move from the seat next to Elaine. According to her testimony, Mr. Rivera sat next to her and used the palm of his hand to rub her breast area underneath her clothing and bra. The defendant also allegedly used his first finger and hand to touch her privates underneath her underwear. Elaine stated that she used taekwondo training to attempt to block Mr. Rivera's advances and told him to stop. Elaine further testified that there were five other passengers on the bus when the assault occurred. Elaine alleged that Mr. Rivera assaulted her on one occasion. When Elaine went into the LaPlante Center the morning of the assault, she approached Danielle Fournier Cole, an employee of the LaPlante Center at the time of the alleged assault, and told her that the bus driver had touched her inappropriately. Ms. Fournier Cole testified, contrary to Elaine's testimony, that Elaine reported she had been touched a couple of times that week. Although the date of the assault is not apparent from the record, Ms. Fournier Cole prepared a statement documenting Elaine's report on July 22, 2005. Two passengers on the RIde bus testified that they witnessed Mr. Rivera assault Elaine. Corey confirmed that he was sitting next to Elaine when defendant told him to move. According to Corey's testimony, defendant then sat next to Elaine and touched Elaine's chest, her legs, and in a private part. Corey stated that he observed the alleged assault by looking in a mirror mounted above the driver's seat of the bus. Katherine, another passenger, testified that she saw defendant touch Elaine's breast and vagina. At trial, defendant elicited testimony to establish facts suggesting Elaine had a motive to fabricate the allegations against him. The defendant attempted to establish facts that (1) tended to show Elaine sought revenge against defendant for reprimanding her on the bus; (2) Elaine had a propensity to lie, especially that she had a propensity to make false accusations of sexual assault; and (3) the three complaining witnesses shared stories of defendant's sexual assault before reporting the incidents to authority figures, implying that they had colluded to make such allegations. Mr. Rivera testified that he reprimanded Elaine and a male passenger, Emil, for being intertwined on the bus, kissing, hugging and carrying on. The defendant further testified that Elaine and Emil were furious at him for intervening. The defendant stated he reported the situation to employees of the LaPlante Center a day or two prior to Elaine's accusation of sexual assault. During the trial, defendant questioned Brenda Centracchio, a state social worker at the LaPlante Center, about a status sheet she prepared that indicated Elaine's mother thought Elaine had a grudge against Mr. Rivera for reprimanding her. The trial justice, however, did not permit the questioning to continue, and he did not allow the admission of the status sheet as a full exhibit, ruling that it constituted double hearsay. Supporting defendant's theory that Elaine had a propensity to lie, Elaine's mother testified that she did not, at first, believe her daughter had been assaulted because some LaPlante Center attendees had started a pathological liars club and they were trying to one up each other. The defendant unsuccessfully sought to introduce other evidence suggesting Elaine had a propensity to lie; namely, that Elaine previously had made a false accusation against both Emil and another person. The defendant questioned Elaine about the alleged incident between Elaine and Emil, and Elaine denied that he had done anything physically inappropriate, but noted that Emil had kissed [her] and stuff like that when [she] didn't want to. The defendant also questioned Elaine's mother about whether Elaine had accused other people of touching her inappropriately. The trial justice, however, sustained the state's objections to the questions, and the theory was not further developed at trial. Finally, defendant sought to elicit testimony implying that the complaining witnesses had discussed the allegations with one another. Tracy testified that Elaine told her about her allegation against Mr. Rivera, whereas Elaine denied discussing the alleged assault. C