Opinion ID: 2225342
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Did the prior act closely resemble this act?

Text: ¶ 49 In order to satisfy the second prong of the Pulizzano test, the defendant's offer of proof must show that the prior act closely resembled the act that the defendant is accused of committing. Id. This court has refused to broadly interpret closely resembled. Dunlap, 250 Wis.2d 466, ¶ 23, 640 N.W.2d 112. We have recognized that evidence of prior sexual touching does not sufficiently resemble a present allegation of sexual intercourse. Dodson, 219 Wis.2d at 79, 580 N.W.2d 181. [16] ¶ 50 In Dodson, in analyzing whether a prior act closely resembled the act alleged in the underlying case, see Pulizzano, 155 Wis.2d at 656, 456 N.W.2d 325, this court made the distinction between (a) a prior act of sexual touching and a present allegation of sexual intercourse, and (b) a prior act of sexual intercourse and a present allegation of sexual touching. Dodson, 219 Wis.2d at 79, 580 N.W.2d 181. Although evidence of prior sexual touching does not sufficiently `resemble sexual intercourse,' it does not automatically follow that evidence of prior sexual intercourse does not resemble or involve sexual touching. Id. Indeed, it is impossible to conceive of a prior act of sexual intercourse that does not involve sexual contact. Id. Accordingly, in Dodson, this court concluded that the defendant satisfied the second prong of the Pulizzano test because the previous act of sexual intercourse commissioned against the victim necessarily involved, and hence closely resembled, the sexual contact that the defendant was accused of. Id. at 78-79, 580 N.W.2d 181. ¶ 51 In Michael R.B., we analyzed the converse scenario. 175 Wis.2d at 736, 499 N.W.2d 641. The defendant, who was accused of having sexual intercourse with the child victim, made an offer of proof that the victim and her brother were previously seen touching each other's private parts while sitting together in a tire swing. Id. This court concluded that the defendant failed the second prong of the Pulizzano test, stating that it was an insupportable leap of reasoning to conclude that two or three minutes of undefined sexual touching while sitting in a tire swing so closely resembles sexual intercourse as to satisfy the Pulizzano test. Id. ¶ 52 Here, Carter's offer of proof must fail the second prong of the Pulizzano test because the previous sexual assault against Cassandra does not closely resemble[ ] the act of sexual intercourse that Carter was charged with. See Pulizzano, 155 Wis.2d at 656, 456 N.W.2d 325. Carter was charged with forcing Cassandra to perform oral sex on him, an act of sexual intercourse. See Wis. Stat. § 948.01(6). Carter's offer of proof consists of testimony that Cassandra had previous sexual contact with her cousin, specifically that Cassandra pulled on [her cousin's] penis to get him to ejaculate. [17] As this court has made clear, a previous act of sexual contact does not sufficiently resemble an act of sexual intercourse for purposes of satisfying the second prong of the Pulizzano test. Dodson, 219 Wis.2d at 79, 580 N.W.2d 181. Similar to our analysis in Michael R.B., it would require an insupportable leap of reasoning to conclude that the uncertain sexual touching that took place between Cassandra and her cousin closely resembles the act of oral sex that Carter was charged with. See Michael R.B., 175 Wis.2d at 736, 499 N.W.2d 641. [W]e refuse to interpret the second prong of Pulizzano so broadly. Dunlap, 250 Wis.2d 466, ¶ 23, 640 N.W.2d 112. ¶ 53 Because we conclude that Carter's offer of proof fails the first and second prongs of the Pulizzano test, we hold that evidence of the alleged previous sexual assault against Cassandra is not excepted from the rape shield law and is therefore inadmissible. Accordingly, Carter has failed to demonstrate that his defense was prejudiced by his trial counsel's decision not to present the evidence. Regardless of whether Sargent attempted to present evidence of the previous sexual assault, the result of the proceeding would have been the same.