Opinion ID: 879229
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Rape Trauma Syndrome

Text: We will first address the admissibility of expert testimony concerning rape trauma syndrome (RTS). Brodniak attacks the admission of RTS testimony on numerous grounds only one of which we find persuasive. Specifically, Brodniak contends that certain portions of Walter's testimony was an improper comment on the credibility of the victim. Before addressing Brodniak's contention on its merits, we believe an overview of RTS testimony is necessary. In State v. Liddell (Mont.1984), 685 P.2d 918, 923, 41 St.Rep. 1293, 1298-99, this Court held that RTS was a proper subject for expert testimony in a sexual intercourse without consent case. Where all that is disputed is the consent element such evidence is relevant to the question of whether there was consent to engage in a sexual act which all parties agreed occurred. It is true several courts have refused to allow expert testimony on RTS. See State v. Stafford (1985), 77 N.C.App. 19, 334 S.E.2d 799; Allewalt v. State (1985), 61 Md.App. 503, 487 A.2d 664; People v. Bledsoe (1984), 36 Cal.3d 236, 203 Cal.Rptr. 450, 681 P.2d 291; State v. Taylor (Mo.1984), 663 S.W.2d 235; State v. McGee (Minn. 1982), 324 N.W.2d 232; State v. Saldana (Minn.1982), 324 N.W.2d 227. The reasons for disallowance vary. One common thread running throughout all such cases, however, is the purpose for which RTS testimony was offered. In all of the above cases, the experts testified that the victim suffered from RTS and therefore concluded expressly or implicitly, in their opinion, that the victim had been raped. Such testimony obviously goes far beyond that approved in Liddell. Such RTS testimony is generally considered an improper comment on the credibility of the victim. In Bledsoe, supra, the California Supreme Court held that expert testimony that a complaining witness suffered from RTS was not admissible to prove that the witness was raped. In People v. Roscoe (1985), 168 Cal.App.3d 1093, 215 Cal.Rptr. 45, 49, however, the same court held that although expert testimony regarding RTS is not admissible to prove that a rape occurred or to establish the defendant's guilt, it is admissible for other purposes. See also State v. Ogle (Mo.1984), 668 S.W.2d 138, similarly distinguishing Taylor, supra. Our decision in Liddell is consistent with Roscoe and Ogle. In the following cases the courts held either expressly or implicitly that a qualified expert may explain RTS to the jury and express an opinion that the victim suffers from the syndrome, but may not testify otherwise as to the credibility or believability of the complaining witness. State v. Lash (1985), 237 Kan. 384, 699 P.2d 49; State v. Bressman (1984), 236 Kan. 296, 689 P.2d 901; People v. Reid (1984), 123 Misc.2d 1084, 475 N.Y.S.2d 741; State v. Middleton (1983), 294 Or. 427, 657 P.2d 1215; People v. Izzo (1979), 90 Mich.App. 727, 282 N.W.2d 10. In Liddell, supra, this Court followed the reasoning of the Kansas Supreme Court in State v. Marks (1982), 231 Kan. 645, 647 P.2d 1292, wherein that court held that when consent is the defense in a prosecution for rape, qualified expert psychiatric testimony regarding the existence of RTS is relevant and admissible. In a later Kansas case, Bressman, supra, the RTS expert testified that in her opinion the complainant had been raped. 689 P.2d at 907. The Kansas court held that the trial court erred in admitting this testimony reasoning that: An expert's opinion in a proper case is admissible up to the point where an expression of opinion would require him to pass upon the credibility of witnesses or the weight of, disputed evidence. 689 P.2d at 907. In Lash, supra, the expert was asked to give his opinion as to whether the victim in a child molestation case was telling the truth. 699 P.2d at 51. Citing its Bressman decision, the Kansas court held that such an expression of opinion was improper, since such an opinion would require the expert to pass upon the credibility of witnesses or the weight of disputed evidence. In Reid, supra, the New York Court sustained a pretrial motion to allow expert testimony describing RTS in rebuttal to an anticipated defense that the victim recanted the charges in a letter to the defendant. 475 N.Y.S.2d at 741. Regarding the issue faced by the Kansas Supreme Court in Lash and Bressman, supra, and this Court in the instant case, the court held: The admission of this [RTS] expert testimony is no more inflammatory, nor more intrusive into the province of the jury than other expert testimony, assuming adequate and proper instructions are provided to the jury, and, of course, the expert will not be permitted to testify as to whether she believes the witness (citations omitted), but rather, will be permitted to explain rape trauma syndrome to the jury and express her opinion that the victim suffers from that syndrome. The jury will then consider the credibility of the victim's testimony along with whatever evidence is submitted on the question of credibility. (Emphasis added.) 475 N.Y.S.2d at 743. In at least two other jurisdictions, courts have stated the same rulethat is that an expert witness may not give an opinion on whether he believes the victim's story or whether he believes the witness is telling the truth. Middleton, 657 P.2d at 1221; Izzo, 282 N.W.2d at 11. At the trial of this case, Walters testified in detail on the subject of RTS. Although Walters' testimony regarding RTS, itself, was not objected to, certain other portions of his testimony were objected to as improper comment on the credibility of the victim. The pertinent portions of Walters' testimony are as follows: Q. Dr. Walters, as part of your professional life, do you keep current on the literature and current on the research dealing with the area of sexual assault and rape? A. I attempt to do so, yes. Q. What does that mean? What do you do to try to keep current? A. I try to keep track of what are the current books and research articles that are coming out and avail myself of various computerized services or summaries of general findings and do participate in some research in those areas. Q. Dr. Walters, in the literature is there an area of literature that deals with sexual assault and rape? A. Yes. Q. Does that particular literature contain any information regarding the frequency of false reports in sexual assault or rape cases? A. Yes. Q. What is that frequency? A. In general, that the number of actual false accusations is approximately the same as for other kinds of crimes, roughly two percent of the number of accusations are found to be unfounded. Where it is not possible to proceed with an investigation because of various problems, that runs, depending on the study you read, somewhere around 17 to 25 percent. Q. Dr. Walters, is that particular report in the literature consistent with your personal clinical experience? A. Yes. Q. In the course of your professional career, have you been in the practice of making diagnoses of individuals or clients that have been referred to you? A. Yes, that is a routine part of my practice. Q. Is part of the routine part of the practice for you to check for what we might call a malingerer? A. Yes. Q. Could you explain what malingering is? A. The term refers to people who clearly distort information with the intention of creating a particular purpose that would be in some way to their advantage. Q. Why is it important to check in your work to see if that process is going on? A. Because it can be a significant flaw in the conclusion you reach. Q. The diagnosis you are seeking? A. Yes. Q. Do you find malingering in persons who are complaining of sexual assaults? A. Occasionally. Q. Again, in what frequency? A. Roughly two to three percent, depending a lot on where the work is going on, the kinds of motives people have. It is probably less in clinical practice where people are coming in just to help themselves than in a practice where they might have some fairly obvious motives about getting to move to another part of the prison or to get out or something of this kind.