Opinion ID: 1951481
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Statements to SRS and Police

Text: Defendant also contends that the court erred in admitting the victims' subsequent statements to the SRS investigators and the State Police officer. He argues that the statements were inadmissible under 804a on the grounds that they: (1) were made in preparation for a legal proceeding, and (2) lacked sufficient indicia of trustworthiness. Statements to social workers and the police are not necessarily in preparation for a legal proceeding. Indeed, as we observed in Fisher, statements taken by SRS investigators are generally not to make a case against the accused, but to ascertain the reliability of the accusations so the child can, if necessary, be protected. 167 Vt. at ___, 702 A.2d at 45. Similarly, statements taken by police officers are often investigatory in nature. Id. Thus, we have often determined that joint preliminary interviews by SRS and police investigators were taken primarily for purposes of investigation and protection rather than in preparation for legal proceedings. See, e.g., Fisher, 167 Vt. at ___, 702 A.2d at 45 (interview by SRS investigator and Brattleboro police officer was investigatory in nature and thus childrens' statements were admissible under 804a); State v. Blackburn, 162 Vt. 21, 24-26, 643 A.2d 224, 225-26 (1993) (hearsay statements to SRS caseworker and police officer were taken for purposes of investigation, not for preparation of legal action); State v. Duffy, 158 Vt. 170, 172-73, 605 A.2d 533, 535 (1992) (statement to SRS investigator with police detective present was primarily for investigation, not to make a case against the accused). The fact that statements are recorded and may subsequently be used in legal proceedings does not change their initial character as investigatory. Duffy, 158 Vt. at 172, 605 A.2d at 535. The fundamental question is whether, viewed objectively in the light of the totality of the circumstances, the statements were gathered primarily to prepare a legal action against the accused, or primarily to investigate the allegations. Fisher, 167 Vt. at ___, 702 A.2d at 45. The trial court's finding that the statements were not taken in preparation for legal proceedings was amply supported by the record. Both interviews were conducted the day after the children made their initial disclosures. The State Police investigator testified that it was his practice to attend SRS interviews so that the children were not compelled to give the same statement twice. Thus, the timing and circumstances of the interviews support the conclusion that their purpose was to investigate the allegations and determine the need for intervention, not to prepare a criminal prosecution against defendant. See id. at ___, 702 A.2d at 45 (interview with SRS investigator and police within a week of initial disclosures deemed investigatory in nature); Blackburn, 162 Vt. at 25, 643 A.2d at 226 (interview with police after four preliminary SRS interviews still within the investigatory stage); In re M.B., 158 Vt. 63, 68, 605 A.2d 515, 518 (1992) (three SRS interviews, two with police officers present, were conducted for investigatory purposes). The trial court did not abuse its discretion in finding that the interviews had not been taken in preparation for legal proceedings. Defendant also contends that the statements lacked sufficient indicia of trustworthiness. As noted, both SRS interviews with the children were tape recorded and transcribed. Having reviewed both tapes, the trial court found that they demonstrated ample indicia of reliability. We agree. Neither of the SRS interviewers had been informed of the details of the alleged abuse prior to the interviews, so neither was seeking to confirm any preconceived ideas of what the children should be disclosing. The childrens' statements were fresh, having occurred the day after their initial disclosures. Each child stated that defendant had put his peepee in her mouth, and S.J. provided additional details about the assault. Each child provided accurate information concerning peripheral details, such as defendant's appearance and clothing on the date of the incident, the interior of the house, Lucy LaBounty's activities on the day in question, and the rooms where the abuse allegedly occurred. The timing and conduct of the interviews, and the overall consistency and detail of the childrens' statements, thus support the trial court's finding of trustworthiness. See State v. Gallagher, 150 Vt. 341, 348, 554 A.2d 221, 225, cert. denied, 488 U.S. 995, 109 S.Ct. 563, 102 L.Ed.2d 588 (1988) (enumerating various factors court may consider in evaluating veracity of child's statement). Although defendant cites several seemingly contradictory responses by B.M. during the interview, our independent review of the record supports the trial court's finding as to the overall consistency and reliability of her statement. Defendant also challenges the reliability of S.J.'s statement, asserting that it contained no specific details, that the SRS interviewer pursued a preconceived notion that S.J. had been abused and employed improper leading questions, and that S.J.'s mother improperly influenced her daughter's answers. Although S.J.'s interviewer acknowledged that she was relatively inexperienced at conducting such interviews, and S.J. was hesitant and frequently nonresponsive throughout the interview, we perceive no likelihood that S.J.'s allegations were the product of undue coercion or suggestion. Through direct and occasionally whispered responses to the SRS interviewer, who then repeated her answers, S.J. recalled defendant's appearance, the location of the other children during the incident, and the room where the abuse occurred. She expressly reaffirmed her earlier spontaneous disclosure to her mother that defendant had put his peepee in her mouth, that he had made her suck on it, and that yucky stuff [had] come out. She further volunteered that the discharge went into her mouth, and that defendant had wiped it off with his shirt. We are thus satisfied that the trial court's finding as to the overall trustworthiness of the statement was not clearly erroneous. Id. at 348, 554 A.2d at 225.