Court Opinion

ID: 9660834
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 22:22:05.641799+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:14:22.643864
License: Public Domain

STEINMETZ, J.
(dissenting). The evidence indicating that the defendant was the victim's parent — was present when his spouse physically abused his child, failed to intervene and prevent the abuse, and failed to report the abuse to the proper authorities — was suffi*1009cient to support the jury verdict convicting Kurt Rundle of physical abuse of his daughter by aiding and abetting the physical abuse inflicted by his wife. I believe that Kurt's presence during and failure to stop his wife's abusive acts was an objective fact which aided his wife in the execution of a crime. Kurt also obviously intended his conduct to in fact render such assistance.
In 1986, when she was only seven weeks old, K.R. was admitted to the hospital with symptoms of "shaken baby syndrome." K.R. was subsequently removed from the Rundle home while both Kurt Rundle and Pamela Rundle underwent training in proper parental care. K.R. was returned to the Rundle home in November 1986.
In October 1988, K.R. was taken to the hospital with a cut lip extending almost through to the inside of her mouth. As before, K.R. was removed from the Run-dle home, this time for approximately six months.
On July 30, 1989, Pamela Rundle threw K.R. into the hallway of the Rundle home. Although Kurt was not in the room at the time of this act, he responded to the incident because he felt the vibrations from K.R.'s landing.
Sometime between August 3rd and August 5th, 1989, in a Madison parking lot, Kurt observed Pamela slap K.R. in the face, kick K.R. in the knee, and drag K.R. until she fell to the ground. Kurt believed the child had been hurt during this incident because he subsequently observed the child acting strangely. On August 6, 1989, K.R., then three years old, arrived at the Milwaukee County Children's Hospital comatose and covered with bruises and scratches.
Pamela Rundle was charged with one count of child abuse for the incident in 1988. Both Pamela and Kurt were charged with two counts of child abuse for the incidents in 1989. Kurt was convicted of the counts *1010related to the 1989 incidents. Pamela was convicted of all charges against her.
Kurt Rundle, who was K.R.'s father and not a mere bystander, intentionally failed to stop or report his wife's abusive acts. This behavior is consistent with his own acts toward the child in 1986, even though he was acquitted of those charges. I believe that this behavior constitutes an affirmative, overt act which aided and abetted his wife's abuse of K.R. The incident in 1988 made Kurt aware of his wife's abusive treatment prior to 1989. Despite this knowledge, Kurt failed to protect K.R. from the 1989 incidents. When K.R. was thrown on July 30,1989, the resulting vibrations must have been severe because Kurt felt them while absent from the room where the incident took place. Still, Kurt did nothing to protect K.R. from further abuse. Finally, Kurt believed that K.R. had been seriously and permanently hurt during the August 1989 incident in the Madison parking lot; nevertheless, he did nothing.
I fail to see the difference between a lookout during a burglary, who objectively aides the principal burglar by merely watching for possible danger, and Kurt's conduct in this case, which objectively aided his wife's abuse by effectively guarding against intervention by others. Similarly, a person who sits as a passenger in a stolen car knowing the car is stolen may be guilty of aiding and abetting the theft of an auto. The passenger's conduct is no more affirmative than Kurt's conduct, yet the majority concludes that Kurt is not an aider and abetter.
It is difficult to understand the criteria used by this agency in returning this child more than once to these abusive parents until she became blind and disabled.
For the foregoing reasons, I dissent.
*1011I am authorized to state that JUSTICES ROLAND B. Day and Jon P. Wilcox join this dissenting opinion.