Opinion ID: 2136941
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Hearsay Declarations by J.C.

Text: We also find no abuse of discretion in the court's finding that J.C. was unavailable as a witness within the meaning of SDCL 19-16-35, in that J.C. would not address the judge at all in chambers. However, we question whether the court's inquiry into the trustworthiness or reliability of the testimony was sufficient. Although the ultimate decision to admit or not admit evidence is reviewable under the abuse of discretion standard, the court's preliminary determination of whether the hearsay evidence is reliable will not be overturned unless it is clearly erroneous. State v. Luna, 378 N.W.2d 229, 238 (S.D.1985). The court should not arrive at this determination summarily, but should carefully weigh all the indicia of reliability. The trial court, in determining the sufficiency of the indicia of reliability, should consider the age and maturity of the child, the nature and duration of the abuse, the relationship of the child to the offender, the reliability of the assertions, and the reliability of the child witness. State v. McCafferty, 356 N.W.2d at 164. As indicated above, J.C.'s declaration to her mother about what defendant did to her was made six weeks after the alleged act in another location. They were made in response to her mother's inquiry about why she was touching herself. J.C. had three other babysitters during the same time period. J.C. was four years old. When the reliability of the declarant's evidence is such a close question, it is especially important for the court to make a record that it has fully considered each element of reliability as set forth in McCafferty, supra, and Luna, supra . In State v. Spronk, 379 N.W.2d 312, 313 (S.D.1985), we said: Spronk claims the trial court did not make sufficient findings of indicia of reliability concerning hearsay statements admitted at trial. We agree.... [N]o clear findings of fact can be gleaned on which the judge relied in ruling that the child's statements made to her mother and grandmother and the social worker were sufficiently reliable to be admitted under SDCL 19-16-35[.] We accordingly remand with direction to enter particular findings of facts and conclusions of law concerning the reliability of hearsay statements admitted at trial. The court entered no findings of fact or conclusions of law about the presence or absence of indicia of reliability in the declaration of J.C. to her mother. The court's findings on the subject at trial are limited to a single conclusory sentence: I find that this hearsay statement has the necessary guarantee of trustworthiness, having been made by a young girl to her mother. We find the court's failure to make more exacting findings about a declaration of such marginal reliability to be error.