Opinion ID: 1423334
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The picked and scratched statements.

Text: The victim and her mother lived with the victim's great-grandmother. The great-grandmother testified that she gave the victim a bath the day after the victim returned from visiting her father on November 27, 1988. She noticed that the victim's vaginal area was red, swollen and irritated, as if it had been rubbed raw. She noticed a terrific odor and some discharge. She stated that when she asked the victim what had happened, the victim began to cry and said that her daddy had picked at her. The victim's mother also helped give the victim the bath. She also noted that the victim's vaginal area was swollen and irritated. When she asked the victim what had happened, the victim began to cry and stated that her daddy had scratched her with his fingernail. The trial court admitted these statements of the victim's mother and great-grandmother pursuant to I.R.E. 803(24) and I.C. § 19-3024. The court found that these statements were not admissible under any other hearsay exception; that the conditions surrounding the statements had circumstantial guarantees of trustworthiness equivalent to the other twenty-two exceptions listed in I.R.E. 803; that the statements were offered as evidence of a material fact; that the statements were more probative on the point for which they were offered than could be procured by the State through reasonable efforts; that the interests of justice would be served by the admission of the statements because the statements were made in a less threatening situation for a child of tender years; and, that the state had given the defendant adequate notice of the intent to use these statements at trial. Thus, the district court found the five requirements for admission of testimony under I.R.E. 803(24). See State v. Horsley, 117 Idaho 920, 792 P.2d 945 (1990); State v. Hester, 114 Idaho 688, 760 P.2d 27 (1988). In our review of the trial court's ruling, we note that the trial court has broad discretion in the admission of evidence at trial and its judgment will be reversed only when there has been an abuse of that discretion. State v. Hester, 114 Idaho 688, 760 P.2d 27 (1988); State v. Terry, 98 Idaho 285, 561 P.2d 1318 (1977). In reviewing the decision of the trial court, we look to the totality of the circumstances surrounding the statement and also at those circumstances that make the declarant worthy of belief. Idaho v. Wright, 497 U.S. 805, 110 S.Ct. 3139, 111 L.Ed.2d 638 (1990). The trial court found that the statements were reliable because the victim made the statements the next morning after returning from visiting her father. The trial court concluded that the short length of time between the victim's visit to her father and her bath the next morning indicated that there was not enough time for the victim to fabricate the story. Our review of the totality of the circumstances supports this finding of the trial court. The trial court's finding coupled with the other circumstances surrounding the statement all demonstrate a sufficient showing of trustworthiness. The trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting this evidence pursuant to I.R.E. 803(24). The trial court also ruled that these statements were admissible under I.C. § 19-3024. This statute allows for the admission of a child's out-of-court statements of sexual or physical abuse or other criminal conduct committed with or upon the child when: (1) the child is under 10 years of age at the time of the conduct; (2) the court finds, in a hearing conducted outside the presence of the jury, that the time, content and circumstances of the statement provide indicia of reliability; and, (3) the child either: (i) testifies at trial; or, (ii) the child is unavailable as a witness, provided that there is corroborative evidence of the act. The trial court should not have considered the admission of the out-of-court statements under I.C. § 19-3024. To the extent that this statute attempts to prescribe the admissibility of hearsay evidence and is in conflict with the Idaho Rules of Evidence, it is of no force or effect. I.R.E. 802 (Hearsay is not admissible except as provided by these rules or other rules promulgated by the Supreme Court of Idaho.); I.R.E. 1102 (Statutory provisions and rules governing the admissibility of evidence, to the extent they are evidentiary and to the extent that they are in conflict with applicable rules of Idaho Rules of Evidence, are of no force or effect.). The trial court also allowed Dr. Maria J. Krasnec, Ph.D. to testify as to out-of-court statements made by the victim. Dr. Krasnec is a psychologist and counseled with the victim concerning the sexual abuse. Dr. Krasnec testified that the victim stated that her dad picked at her or scratched her with his fingernail. Dr. Krasnec also testified regarding the victim's statements and reactions Dr. Krasnec observed while treating the victim. The trial court allowed this testimony pursuant to I.C. § 19-3024 and I.R.E. 803(4) and 803(24). As we discussed above, the trial court should not have considered the admission of this evidence under I.C. § 19-3024. The trial court should not have admitted this testimony pursuant to I.R.E. 803(4). The exception contained in Rule 803(4) applies only to statements made for the purpose of medical treatment. Griffith v. State, 584 So.2d 383 (Miss.1991); State v. Robinson, 153 Ariz. 191, 735 P.2d 801 (1987). A psychologist does not provide medical treatment as contemplated by the rule. People v. LaLone, 432 Mich. 103, 437 N.W.2d 611 (1989). A psychologist cannot be made a conduit for testifying in court as to any and all out of court statements made. State v. Van Dyken, 242 Mont. 415, 429-30, 791 P.2d 1350, 1359 (1990); See also State v. Schreuder, 726 P.2d 1215 (Utah 1986). Only out-of-court statements necessary for medical diagnosis and treatment are admissible under I.R.E. 803(4). The victim did not make her statements to Dr. Krasnec for the purposes of medical treatment. Therefore, it was error to admit them pursuant to this hearsay exception. Next, we must determine if this testimony is admissible pursuant to I.R.E. 803(24). In a pre-trial Order in Limine, the trial court found: According to the Krasnec deposition, [the victim] presented to Dr. Krasnec complaining of nightmares, and stated that she hoped the nightmares would go away and understood that she had to tell the truth in order that Dr. Krasnec could help the nightmares to go away. Dr. Krasnec testified in her deposition as to the emotional state of [the victim], from time to time, during the eleven sessions during which she treated the child. The content of the child's statements and the circumstances under which [the victim's] hearsay statements were made (and, in particular, the fact that Dr. Krasnec testified that the child understood she needed to tell the truth in order to help the nightmares to go away) provide sufficient indicia of reliability of such hearsay statements and the Court expressly so finds. The trial court then concluded that such hearsay statements were admissible if either the victim testified at trial or if the victim was unable to be present or to testify because of death or then existing physical or mental illness or infirmity. The trial court also ruled that the testimony was admissible pursuant to I.R.E. 803(24), because: (1) the statements had sufficient circumstantial guarantees of trustworthiness equivalent to those set out in the other exceptions of I.R.E. 803, (2) the statements were offered as evidence of a material fact, i.e., whether the victim was in fact sexually abused, and (3) the interests of justice would be served because the statements were made in a situation less threatening than open court might be for a very young child. The trial court did not abuse its discretion by admitting this testimony.