Court Opinion

ID: 9743376
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 21:31:58.616993+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:40.858830
License: Public Domain

DeBRULER, Justice,
concurring and dissenting.
In her first statement, the victim, Patricia Deem, said that appellant had thrown her to the floor, had gotten on top of her, and had raped her. This statement was unsworn. At trial, under oath, she persist ed in testifying that she and appellant had lived together, that they had the fight that resulted in serious injury to her, but that she had not been raped. In explaining her intent in giving police the first exaggerated version of the events, she testified:
A. At the time I was mad and I was going to try to get him for anything I could. Cause I was still angry with him, you know.
Q. And were you also under any threats from your family or anyone?
A. Yes.
Q. Is that why you gave this statement?
A. Yes.
Record at 585. Dr. Corbett's findings upon his pelvic examination were consistent with Deem's trial assertion that she had not been raped. The verdict rests upon Deem's unsworn statement to police, and the inferences from the trial evidence. Such statement and inferences do not constitute substantial evidence of probative value from which a rational trier of fact could determine guilt of rape and confinement beyond a reasonable doubt, and consequently are together insufficient. See, e.g., Glover v. State (1970), 253 Ind. 536, 255 N.E.2d 657. The evidence of battery is, however, suffi*18cient. The conviction for rape and confinement should be reversed, the convictions for battery should be affirmed, and the case should be remanded for consistent sentencing on such conviction.
KRAHULIK, J., concurs.