Opinion ID: 771966
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Suffolk County Trial

Text: 14 The trial commenced on March 30, 1989 before Justice Weissman. The prosecution called four witnesses: Lindstadt's wife; his daughter; Dr. Don Lewittes (an expert child psychologist); and Dr. Milton Gordon (the doctor who examined the child). 15 Lindstadt's wife testified briefly that there was acrimony in her marriage; that in April 1988 her daughter told her about sexual acts involving her father; and that she immediately ordered Lindstadt out of the house and took her daughter to Child Protective Services. Mistakenly, she testified that in December 1986, the first alleged instance of abuse (Counts 1-4 of the indictment), Lindstadt lived with her and their daughter at 62 Fairfax Drive in Coram. (As discussed later in some detail, the family did not live in Coram in 1986.) 16 Defense counsel mounted no useful cross-examination, focusing instead on a curious series of questions, including a line of questioning concerning her name. Lindstadt's wife had several previous husbands and was apparently thought by counsel to have had an inordinate choice of last names. 17 The child testified as to the nature of the abuse. She too mistakenly testified that the first incident took place in December 1986. On that occasion, Lindstadt is alleged to have performed various sexual acts with his daughter, including intercourse. She testified that, on instructions from her father, she reported this to no one. The child testified to a second incident in March 1988 (Count 5 of the indictment) in which her father performed a sexual act on her until she stopped him. 18 Lindstadt's lawyer conducted a lengthy cross-examination, limited by numerous objections sustained by the court. He did get out that the child rode horses and was active in gymnastics, activities he cited in his closing as alternative causes of the physical phenomena later described by the prosecution's medical expert. 19 The prosecution then called a child psychologist, Dr. Don Lewittes, to explain why a child might conceal sexual abuse for years. Dr. Lewittes described the effect of child abuse on the victim, specifically addressing sexual abuse syndrome, a form of post traumatic stress disorder. Dr. Lewittes had never examined the child. Defense counsel asked a single question on cross: Is [Lindstadt's daughter] your client? It is not contended that more was required. 20 The next prosecution witness was Dr. Milton Gordon, the pediatrician who examined the child after her mother brought her to Child Protective Services. The doctor gave her general medical history, followed by a discussion of the genital examination. Dr. Gordon found no obvious signs of trauma (bruising, swelling, etc.); her hymen was intact. The doctor did find bumps and clefts on the hymen at the two o'clock and three o'clock and extending down to the five o'clock positions, a phenomenon that he testified was consistent with sexual abuse. On cross examination, the doctor indicated that he arrived at this critical conclusion based on what he referenced as a Boston study. The doctor also discussed toluidine blue dye testing, which he claimed can disclose otherwise sub-dermal scarring of the genitalia. When Dr. Gordon applied the dye, it indicated some scarring of the child's posterior fourchette. The doctor testified that this is consistent with intrusion into or rubbing of the vaginal area due to sexual abuse. That conclusion was based on a review conducted by a Dr. McCaully from Johns Hopkins University. Defense counsel tried to elicit an admission that the damage might have been caused by horseback riding, gymnastics, masturbation, or infection; the doctor's rejection of each of these alternative causes was based largely on the Boston study and the McCaully review he had referenced earlier. With that, the prosecution rested. 21 The defense put two witnesses on the stand, George Lindstadt and George Lindstadt's mother, and unsuccessfully proffered the testimony of two probation officers who had supervised Lindstadt following his conviction for drunk driving. 22 Lindstadt testified that he never engaged in sexual conduct with his daughter. He detailed the turmoil of his marriage, which he summarized as hell. As to the family finances, he testified that he and his wife had trouble paying the rent, were sometimes evicted, and moved often from dwelling to dwelling. Lindstadt described a good relationship with his daughter, involving games, hiking, horseback riding, and the like. He testified that he regularly helped her with her bath, and that on one occasion helped to clean the girl's private parts after he noticed her scratching at a mild infection. Lindstadt also suggested that the sexual abuse allegations had been fabricated by his wife out of rancor, though the prosecution successfully objected to much of his testimony along these lines. 23 Lindstadt's mother testified that Lindstadt's relationship with his daughter was happy and appropriate. She also testified that Lindstadt's wife had attempted to cajole her into repeating any admissions Lindstadt may have made to his mother. 24 Defense counsel then attempted to call Lindstadt's two probation officers to testify as to their visits to the Lindstadt household. The prosecutor objected on the ground of relevance. The trial judge decided to hear the testimony outside the presence of the jury before ruling on the motion. The two officers testified that as part of their supervision of Lindstadt they observed the Lindstadt household from February 1987 through the summer of 1988. They testified to acrimony in the household, Mrs. Lindstadt's animosity and vindictiveness toward her husband, and her refusal to help him with the basic tasks of supporting the household (such as driving him to work when the terms of his probation prohibited him from doing so). Significantly, they testified that, prior to the reporting of the sexual abuse, Lindstadt's wife repeatedly tried to convince the officers that Lindstadt had violated his probation and should be put in jail. 25 Defense counsel made several arguments in support of admissibility, but failed to make the obvious, pivotal argument: the testimony would have corroborated Lindstadt's defense that his wife fabricated the sexual abuse. The trial judge precluded the testimony. 26 After the court delivered the jury charge, defense counsel asked for the first time that the jury be charged on lesser included offenses. The court rejected counsel's requests, which were apparently read from a digest, and characterized counsel as thoroughly unprepared: 27 I would think in representing your client and as appropriate to the Court as well, you should have a down charge request in writing before the charge . . . . I admonish you, sir, of that fact right now. This is the first time in 23 years when this has occurred where down charges haven't been presented to me in the form wanted by their attorney--by defense attorney. 28 The jury found George Lindstadt guilty on counts 1 through 4 (one count of first degree rape, two counts of first degree sodomy, and one count of first degree sexual abuse) concerning December 1986, and on count 5 (first degree sodomy) concerning April 1988. The jury found Lindstadt not guilty on count 2 (first degree sexual abuse).