Court Opinion

ID: 9582973
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:33:22.577281+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:35:49.933135
License: Public Domain

Banke, Judge,
dissenting.
The majority appears to have overlooked the fact that the declaration which we are concerned with in this case is that of a six-year-old child rather than an adult. There is ample authority as recognized and followed by many states that res gestae rules should be applied more liberally in the case of children. Wharton, Criminal Evidence, § 282.
Regardless of the standard applied, however, the statements do not fall clearly outside of the res gestae of the alleged crime. Since their admissibility is at worst doubtful the rules of evidence require that they be admitted. See Central Railroad v. Smith, 76 Ga. 209 (1) (1886); Purser v. McNair, 153 Ga. 405 (2) (112 SE 648) (1922).
It is true that statements made by victims of sexual offenses are generally not admissible as part of the res gestae when such statements were made in response to direct inquiry by another person. However, when the victim is shocked, shamed, excited or of tender years, an exception to the general rule is recognized. This is as it should be because children of tender years usually do not have the capacity to concoct the type of premeditative afterthought which the law distrusts. This is especially true when no motive exists for a false utterance and no reason appears to suspect the declarant’s credibility. Res gestae statements are considered trustworthy because they are considered spontaneous, and a young child is unquestionably more likely to respond spontaneously than is an adult.
I would affirm the trial court.
I am authorized to state that Presiding Judge Been and Judge Marshall join in this dissent.