Opinion ID: 1152888
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Whether the Evidence at Trial Was Sufficient to Sustain a Guilty Verdict on the Sexual Assault Charge.

Text: Defendant contends that the evidence is insufficient to support his conviction for sexual assault. Sexual assault is defined as intentionally or knowingly engaging in sexual intercourse ... with any person without consent of such person. A.R.S. § 13-1406(A). Sexual intercourse is penetration into the ... vulva ... by any part of the body or by any object. A.R.S. § 13-1401(3). Defendant concedes that it was obvious the child had been assaulted. However, he claims there was insufficient evidence to connect him to the crime. Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the state, substantial evidence supports defendant's conviction for sexual assault. See Atwood, 171 Ariz. at 596-97, 832 P.2d at 613-14; Zmich, 160 Ariz. at 109, 770 P.2d at 777; State v. Blevins, 128 Ariz. 64, 623 P.2d 853 (App. 1981) (holding that evidence may be either direct or circumstantial, and the probative value of the evidence is not reduced simply because it is circumstantial). Defendant concedes, and the evidence supports, that Rachel was sexually assaulted. The medical examiner testified regarding the extent of injuries to Rachel's genitalia. The labia, or outside genitalia, were bruised and scraped, and the opening of her vagina was torn about one half inch in length and about three-sixteenths of an inch in depth. The examiner testified that her vaginal injuries were consistent with penetration or attempted penetration and that the injury to her vaginal opening indicated penetration through the vulva. Additionally, the location of her injuries with no associated injuries on her thighs or buttocks is consistent with a nonaccidental injury. Rachel also had many defensive wounds, indicating that she had attempted to protect herself. The defensive wounds included injuries to both of her hands, her fingers, her forearms, her knees, and her right leg. Evidence supports the conclusion that virtually all of Rachel's injuries occurred within a two-hour period. Rachel's sister, Rebecca, testified that Rachel spent the morning with her and their brother watching cartoons. Rachel seemed fine when her siblings went out to ride their bikes, about 3:00 p.m. Additionally, Rachel seemed fine after the first two times that she returned with defendant. Rachel first accompanied defendant to the market. Rebecca saw Rachel standing at the door when they returned, and she seemed fine. The second time defendant returned with Rachel, Rebecca again saw her standing at the door, and Rachel appeared to be fine. If Rachel had already suffered genital injuries, she would have been in pain. The examiner testified at the aggravation/mitigation hearing that the genital injuries would have caused pain at basically all times. The third time that defendant went out with Rachel, he told Rebecca that he was going to his brother's house. However, his brother's wife testified that defendant never visited their house on that day. During defendant's third trip with Rachel, two children saw defendant hitting Rachel while he drove. One of the children placed the time at 5:00 p.m. Blood spatter in the van likely was created by defendant hitting Rachel after she had already suffered a head injury. Additionally, blood spatter consistent with Rachel's blood type was found on defendant's jeans, along with traces of blood on defendant's shirt and boots. The next time that Rebecca saw Rachel, at about 6:30 p.m., Rachel was in a lot of pain. Many of the injuries that Rachel now had were consistent with defense against a sexual assault. Thus, substantial evidence was introduced to conclude that Rachel's physical assault and sexual assault all occurred within the two-hour time period during which she was alone with defendant in his van. The evidence of the time period of Rachel's injuries, the testimony that defendant was seen hitting her, the fact that Rachel was fine before she went out with defendant the third time and was injured when she returned, and the fact that defendant told others that he had taken Rachel to see the paramedics when he had not, support the finding that defendant committed the sexual assault along with, and as part of, the overall physical assault. Consequently, we find that sufficient evidence exists to sustain defendant's sexual assault conviction.