Opinion ID: 2570477
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: facts

Text: The victim is Cook's stepdaughter, AE. Cook, AE, AE's mother (TC), Cook's son from a prior marriage, and two sons of Cook and TC lived together in Weston County. A teenaged friend of Cook's son also lived with them intermittently. In November 1996, AE told TC that Cook had been sexually molesting her. TC took AE to the County Law Enforcement Center, where Deputy Stensaas interviewed her. AE told him about several occasions on which Cook molested her. A few days later, TC took AE to a physician for a medical examination, including a gynecological examination. TC also took AE to a psychologist who provided counseling and concluded that AE had been sexually abused. On January 9, 1997, the county attorney filed an information charging Cook with three counts of taking immodest, immoral or indecent liberties with a child. Cook's trial commenced on May 11, 1998. The jury returned guilty verdicts on all three counts. Cook filed his appeal to this court.