Court Opinion

ID: 9883731
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-06 02:14:47.169439+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:30:05.196685
License: Public Domain

NIERENGARTEN, Judge,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent. The majority recognizes that the right of a defendant to compel the victim of sexual abuse to submit to a physical examination is a matter left to the sound discretion of the trial court. See State v. Holmes, 374 N.W.2d 457, 459-60 (Minn.Ct.App.1985), pet. for rev. denied, (Minn. Nov. 26, 1985). The majority skirts Holmes by stating no compelling reason has been demonstrated here for such examination. On the contrary, the trial court stated its reasons for its ruling rather succinctly:
I do have in mind the child’s interest. I am reluctant to grant the defendant’s right to a second physical examination, but this is obviously a serious charge that this man is faced with and in view of the facts that the State intends that Dr. Parkins testify about the medical examination of this girl, I’m going to allow it.
There was no abuse of discretion.