Opinion ID: 1767064
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Denial of Strong's Motion in Limine to Exclude Certain Testimony by Medical Personnel

Text: Strong moved to prohibit testimony by social workers, law enforcement officers, and medical personnel regarding acts that constitute sexual or child abuse and physical traits that indicate sexual or child abuse. The circuit court granted the motion with respect to social workers and law enforcement officers. However, the court permitted testimony from medical personnel (specifically, nurse practitioner Kathy Young) regarding injuries that are consistent with force or are otherwise consistent with sexual abuse and observations supporting the allegations of sexual abuse. In Jennings v. State, 289 Ark. 39, 709 S.W.2d 69 (1986), the appellant, convicted of the rape of his stepdaughter, argued that the circuit court erred in permitting the testimony of the examining doctor. The doctor's testimony included observations of an old, well-healed scar around the hymen, distension of the vaginal opening, and a small amount of white discharge, all of which were consistent with penetration by an adult penis on more than one occasion. Id. We upheld the circuit court's ruling, noting that the doctor's opinion was not the ultimate issue to be decided, that being the appellant's guilt. Id. We also cited Ark. R. Evid. 704 (2007), which provides that testimony in the form of an opinion or inference otherwise admissible is not objectionable because it embraces an ultimate issue to be decided by the trier of fact. Id. The nurse practitioner's testimony in the instant case very nearly mirrors the medical testimony allowed in Jennings . Kathy Young testified that she observed an old injury to K.M.'s hymen, which would have been consistent with penetration at an early age. She also testified to the high level of estrogen effect, which was indicative of a long history of abuse. Pursuant to Rule 704, Young's testimony was not objectionable merely because it embraced the ultimate issue to be decided by the jury, that being Strong's guilt. Therefore, the circuit court did not abuse its discretion in permitting this testimony, and the ruling is not a meritorious ground for reversal.