Opinion ID: 2200435
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: whether the trial court erred in allowing the jury to consider both charges of rape and sexual contact without instructing it as to the mutual exclusivity of the charges.

Text: Bachman next contends that the trial court erred when it overruled his objections to instructions 32 and 33 (which set forth the elements of the offenses) and when it refused his proffered instructions which pertained to the mutual exclusivity of the offenses of sexual contact and rape. The purpose of Bachman's proposed instructions was to explain to the jury that it could not return a verdict of guilty on both sexual contact and rape stemming from one incident. We initially note that Bachman is correct that sexual contact is a separate and distinct offense from rape. See State v. Brammer, 304 N.W.2d 111 (S.D.1981). Brammer is factually distinguishable, however, in that only a single sexual act occurred. Here, A.E. and J.E. testified that Bachman had molested them on several occasions in different manners over a period of weeks. Thus, giving due deference to the jury's determination, McCafferty, supra, we believe that it was possible that Bachman had raped each girl on some occasions and that separate acts constituting sexual contact took place on other occasions. The testimony of A.E. and J.E. showed that Bachman attempted oral, anal and vaginal intercourse with each of them. If those acts or attempted acts occurred at different times, then the elements of each offense would have been met by State and the court would not have erred in allowing the jury to consider both charges of rape and sexual contact. We have examined Bachman's other issues (whether the trial court erred in allowing State to question Bachman concerning a prior felony conviction; whether the trial court erred in allowing State to examine Bachman concerning matters allegedly protected by the attorney/client privilege; and whether the trial court violated Bachman's constitutional rights due to the length of the sentences imposed) and find them to be without merit. Affirmed. WUEST, C.J., and MORGAN, J., concur. HENDERSON and SABERS, JJ., dissent.