Court Opinion

ID: 9666811
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 01:27:49.689924+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:59:42.438086
License: Public Domain

SMITH, P.J.,
dissenting.
Because the majority has reversed the burden of proof and ignored the requirement of due process in criminal child molestation cases, I must dissent.
The history of this case is of some consequence. On June 29,1985, the victim, E.L., reported to her mother that defendant had “touched her bottom” the day before. Defendant was a next door neighbor. The police were immediately called and within a day or two interviewed the child and made a report. That report indicated that defendant had placed his hand down the victim’s pants and “entered” the vagina. This was stated in the report to have occurred on ten or more occasions. The victim was referred to a counseling service and then examined by a physician. The doctor measured the child’s vaginal opening and found it to be 7 millimeters. Based upon a medical treatise she had available, the doctor reported that this measurement was larger than normal for a child of E.L.’s age and was evidence of child molestation. The child was age 8 at the time of the examination. The counseling service then utilized anatomical dolls to teach her the correct terms to identify the sexual organs. The original examining doctor subsequently discovered a more accurate medical study which found that a 7 millimeter vaginal opening in a child of E.L.’s age was well within the range of normal and did not constitute evidence of molestation. No *545physical signs of trauma or abuse were found on the physical examination.
Defendant was charged in three counts. The first alleged that defendant had deviate sexual intercourse with E.L. on or about Friday, June 28, 1985, and that E.L. was less than fourteen years old. The second count alleged that between June 1983 and September 1984 the defendant attempted to have sexual intercourse with E.L. The third count alleged that defendant had deviate sexual intercourse with E.L. between June 1983 and September 1984. The place of all three offenses was alleged to be defendant’s home.
By motion defendant sought a bill of particulars. As to Count II and III the motion asked for the specific date and place of the offenses. As to Counts I and III the motion sought the “specific, physical nature of the offenses alleged.” The motion was denied. Prior to trial the prosecution amended the first count to specify the time of the offense as between noon and 5 p.m. on June 28, 1985.
As to Count I the victim testified that defendant touched her vaginal area on the day prior to her report of the incident to her mother. That date would be June 28, 1985. E.L. did not know the exact time of the day this occurred except that it was in the afternoon. Defendant had, she said, opened his garage door so she and he could enter the garage. The touching consisted of moving his fingers but not entry into the vagina.
Defendant presented evidence from several witnesses concerning June 28. He elicited testimony that on that date his garage door was broken and was closed all day. It required two men utilizing a pry bar and two-by-fours to open it. He provided three independent witnesses who testified to being in his presence during that day. The combination of their testimony accounted for defendant’s presence with another person throughout the day until the return of defendant’s wife in the afternoon. This evidence also included testimony that E.L. was not in defendant’s presence during that period. Upon the return of defendant’s wife, at 3:25 p.m., she was in his presence constantly as they prepared for a dental appointment she had. They left the house at 4 p.m., went to the dentist’s office and then to a movie, returning to their home considerably after 5 p.m. Again this evidence indicated E.L. was not in the presence of defendant from 3:25 on.
The jury acquitted defendant on Count I. In so doing it obviously credited defendant’s evidence, and rejected that of the victim.
As to Count II the victim testified that at some time which E.L. did not remember defendant exposed his penis to her and took her hand and placed it on his penis. He did not take down her pants but she thought he touched her vagina with his penis. On deposition E.L. testified that defendant’s penis touched only her hand. On this count the jury found defendant guilty. The court set aside that verdict as unsupported by any evidence of an attempt at penetration.
As to Count III the victim testified that defendant touched her vagina on ten occasions. She thought this happened in second and third grade. Her attendance in third grade was outside the 15 month period charged in the indictment. On deposition she testified that she could not remember if defendant had touched her in second grade, the period covered by the indictment. The victim was unable to place any of these touchings into any time frame less than two years in length. She stated that she had gone to defendant’s home to sell girl scout cookies, a time which is generally identifiable. She did not testify that any touching occurred at that time. She provided no seasonal identification, no time based upon whether these incidents occurred during the school year or during vacation, no time based upon holidays or other occurrences important to a seven year old. She did not indicate whether they occurred after school, on weekends, or any other particularization to identify even a general time of occurrence. She did not identify these occurrences with any purpose she had in going to defendant’s home. She testified to one “licking” incident again without specification of time, place, or *546where on her body the licking occurred. This incident was not included in the police report. She furnished no testimony describing the physical surroundings in which these incidents occurred other than the defendant’s basement or garage. She stated that she would come to defendant’s home on occasions to borrow a riding buggy but did not correlate the alleged incidents to those borrowings. The victim stated that the touchings were only that and that no entry occurred. The initial police report indicated that defendant’s fingers “entered” the victim. The police officer stated that “entered” meant touched otherwise he would have said “penetrated.” As the majority points out, and discounts, the witness testified mostly from leading questions and with frequent “I think” or “I guess” answers. I accept this as normal for a child of this age under the circumstances, but given the absence of consistency between the trial testimony, the deposition, and the police report, her complete ignorance of when the incidents occurred, and the absence of any corroboration at all, I find such testimony considerably less compelling than does the majority. On cross-examination the victim demonstrated a good memory for all the other activities in her life and when they occur.
In defense the defendant attempted through his testimony and that of his wife to reconstruct his activities throughout the fifteen month period. Obviously, there were gaps in this attempt, as it is virtually impossible for anyone to establish that for a fifteen month period they were never alone in their home under circumstances where they could not have contact with a young child from next door. The defendant also adduced medical evidence that an entry with a finger into a vagina of the size of the victim’s would result in stretching or tearing and would be medically observable. Defendant denied any of the incidents or any molestation. Defendant’s wife testified that she often helped E.L. get the buggy from the basement.
The doctor who initially examined the victim testified that her final diagnosis was consistent with the child’s story. That diagnosis was that there was no physical evidence of trauma or molestation. Its consistency is that at trial the victim testified that defendant was gentle and did not hurt her. The majority points to this as demonstrating the consistency of the victim’s story. I regard that as a strange conclusion. The doctor’s examination revealed no evidence of molestation. Why this is more consistent with E.L.’s testimony of molestation than with defendant’s testimony that he didn’t touch her escapes me. In truth the doctor made a serious error in her initial conclusion, and at trial, while admitting her error, persistently refused to admit that in fact her report neither supported nor refuted the victim’s charges.
I have felt it necessary to set forth in such detail the facts adduced at trial because of my belief that the position of the majority has reversed the constitutionally mandated burden of proof and denied defendant due process of law. Throughout the opinion the majority refers to the “impossibility” of the State establishing the time of the occurrences. I had always believed that if it is impossible for the State to provide necessary evidence then the defendant must be discharged.
I have some quarrel with the majority conclusion regarding the indictment. Appellate courts in Missouri have upheld charges involving lengthy periods of time comparable to this one. It is pertinent to point out, however, that an indictment or information serves as more than a notice to defendant. It must, in addition to setting forth the elements of the offense, clearly apprise the defendant of the facts constituting the offense in order to enable him to meet the charge and it also must be sufficiently specific to serve as a protection against double jeopardy. State v. Stigall, 700 S.W.2d 851 (Mo.App.1985) [3]. Here the third count of the indictment is framed in the same language as the first two counts each of which is directed at a single act. Presumably Count III also covers a single act of deviate sexual conduct which is not otherwise identified.
The testimony of the victim indicates a series of acts occurring both during the *547charged period and during an uncharged period. The evidence and verdict do not identify any particular act as the one upon which the conviction is based. The verdict-directing instruction tracked the indictment and does not identify any specific act. It is at least questionable to me that defendant is protected from double jeopardy for all acts during the charged period, and clearly is not protected for any acts during the uncharged period when possibly all the acts testified to by the victim may have occurred. State v. Bowles, 360 S.W.2d 706 (Mo.1962) [3]. Under the circumstances of this case I do not believe the indictment performs two of the three functions required of it.
The thrust of the majority opinion is that defendant was not in fact relying on an alibi and therefore time is unimportant. This allows the majority to conclude that the verdict-directing instruction was acceptable. In a pristine sense the defense here is not totally alibi as defendant did not attempt to prove he was never at his home during the fifteen month period. What he did attempt to prove was that he was never at home by himself in the presence of the victim. The prosecution bears the burden of establishing that defendant was present at the time and place where he is accused of participating in the crime. State v. Clark, 509 S.W.2d 740 (Mo.App.1974) [6-8]. An alibi is a conversing of this element of the State’s case. It presents to the fact-finder an evidentiary basis for finding non-participation in the crime by the defendant. Where an alibi is interposed as a defense, time may become of “decisive importance” even though it is not of the “essence” of the offense. State v. Armstead, 283 S.W.2d 577 (Mo.1955) [5]; State v. Bowles, supra, [7]; State v. Clark, supra; State v. Siems, 535 S.W.2d 261 (Mo.App.1976) [7-10]. In such a situation our courts have recognized a rule of fundamental fairness that the time span within which the crime is alleged to have occurred must not be so long as to place an impossible burden on the defendant to establish his whereabouts over an extended period of time. State v. Clark, supra. The “fundamental fairness” rule is nothing more than a recognition that due process includes the right of one charged with a crime to defend himself. This requires that the state establish the occurrence of the crime with sufficient specificity to allow a defense.
The defense sought to be interposed by defendant here is very similar to an alibi. In part he sought to prove his absence from the home for substantial periods of time. Additionally he sought to establish that he was not alone in his home with E.L. during the period charged. He in short was attempting to converse an essential element of the State’s case, his presence with E.L. It will not do, in my opinion, to ignore the fundamental fairness rule of the cases cited by stating, as the majority does, that his was not an alibi defense therefore he is not entitled to refute his presence with E.L. Defendant tried to obtain a bill of particulars giving the dates of the offense. This he was refused. The time period was so long and so otherwise unspecified that no one, save possibly a bedridden invalid with a full-time nurse, could have successfully presented evidence to refute his presence with E.L. Defendant was reduced to trying to defend himself by testifying that he did not do what E.L. said he did.
The majority distinguishes Armstead, Bowles, and Stems, supra, on the basis that in each a specific date was alleged in the indictment. This is true, but, to me, unimportant. Such a distinction places the availability of a defense solely in the hands of the prosecutor. If he elects to charge specifically then defendant can establish his non-presence with the victim and fundamental fairness precludes a subsequent non-specificity which destroys the defense. But if the prosecutor chooses to charge an unreasonably long time period and defendant is denied particulars he loses all opportunity to prove his non-presence. The distinction, so artfully crafted by the majority, destroys the fundamental fairness rule.1 I *548do not believe a rule of fundamental fairness can or should be so cavalierly and arbitrarily by-passed. The verdict-directing instruction was in clear violation of the rule laid down in Armstead, Bowles, Clark, and Sierns, and was prejudicially erroneous.
It must be admitted at this point that the instruction given was the only one supported by the evidence. A charge so generalized as to take from the defendant his only viable defense, followed by evidence of equivalent ambiguity, is not in my opinion sufficient to take a case to the jury. It is just not due process.
The majority finds the evidence sufficient to make the state’s case and finds defendant adequately protected by the requirement that the trier of fact must find defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. It opines that the jury can assess the witness’ credibility by taking into account the witness’ inability to specify the exact day and time of the crime. We are not dealing with a problem of an “exact” or “precise” day or time. I would not require that in cases involving a crime against a small child and neither do the cases. We are dealing here with an indefiniteness of at least two years. E.L. testified the defendant’s actions occurred sometime while she was in second or third grade. The charge was from June 1983 to September 1984 and E.L. did. not complete third grade until June 1985. I have found no case in which a time period comparable to this has been allowed against a person who was not a resident or frequent visitor in the victim’s home. I similarly have found no case which has upheld a conviction in which the alleged criminal acts could not be at least generally identified within a shorter time frame than this, or where some or all of the claimed unspecified acts occurred outside the charged period.2
It is an appellate judicial function to determine whether evidence is substantial as a matter of law and warrants inferences sufficient for submission of the case to the jury. State v. Bohannon, 526 S.W.2d 861 (Mo.App.1975) [1]. The usual rule is that the uncorroborated testimony of a victim of a rape or sodomy is sufficient to support a conviction. State v. Harris, 620 S.W.2d 349 (Mo. banc 1981) [5]. However, when the evidence of the victim is of a contradictory nature, or when applied to the admitted facts of the case her testimony is not convincing but leaves the mind of the court clouded with doubt, she must be corroborated or the judgment cannot be sustained. State v. Bohannon, supra. There was no corroboration here at all. The credibility of the witness was examined by the jury on Count I and found wanting. E.L. testified that she believed defendant touched her ten times in the second and third grade. Third grade was outside the charged time frame. Neither the “licking” *549nor the penis incident were definitely identified as within the charged time period although they well could have been the incidents upon which one or more jurors based their verdict as both constitute deviate sexual conduct. In E.L.’s deposition she did not remember whether any of the incidents occurred in second grade. This can hardly be passed off as a “minor point on a collateral nature that is not essential to the case.” If no incidents occurred until third grade then defendant was not guilty of the crime with which he was so indefinitely charged. While there was some rehabilitation of E.L. the fact remains she testified differently at trial than in her deposition on an essential matter. The original police report reflected that E.L. told the police that defendant’s fingers “entered” her vagina. At trial she testified they did not. The report was consistent with the initial report of the examining physician; the trial testimony was consistent with the second report. Defendant presented medical evidence that an entry into the vagina of the fingers of the defendant would cause an injury detectable on subsequent medical examination. No such injury was detected. This is one mind that is seriously clouded with doubt.
What has clearly happened in this case is that the jury and this court have placed upon the defendant the obligation that he prove his innocence. Confronted with a specific allegation, he did so to the satisfaction of the jury. Confronted with a nonspecific charge, he could not possibly do so. I am fully cognizant of the difficulties inherent in prosecutions for child molestation and do not expect that young children will be able to testify with the precision of adults. Some considerable leeway must necessarily be allowed in determining what constitutes substantial evidence in such cases. But we cannot allow a frenzy to prosecute and convict for this reprehensible crime to destroy our constitutionally mandated and eminently sound concepts of due process, presumption of innocence, burden of proof, and guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. That happened in this case and I dissent from the result. The judgment should be reversed and the defendant discharged or at a minimum remanded for new trial utilizing an instruction sufficiently specific to provide defendant an opportunity to defend.

. Distinguishing of other cases is a proper and legitimate appellate procedure. Because no two cases are ever exactly alike, any case can be distinguished. But all such distinctions are not *548acceptable. Where the fact utilized to distinguish does not logically impact on the principle of law involved, the distinction becomes one without a difference. The fundamental fairness rule does not depend for its validity on when in the process the prosecutor elects to remove the opportunity to defend.

. Having found no Missouri cases to support its conclusion the majority relies on five cases from other jurisdictions. In four of those cases (Jackson v. United States, Bonds v. State, People v. Naugle, and State v. Clark) the charges involved either residents in the defendant's home or it was admitted that defendant was present alone with the victim. The fifth case does not contain sufficient information to know what the relationship of the defendant and victim was. In the first four cases the prospect of an alibi was regarded as specious. Defendant here was not a resident of the victim’s household and obviously would not have the same access as in the cases relied upon by the majority. As evidenced by Count I the ability to establish an alibi, either as to a particular time period or as to a time of day is not at all impossible. All of the cases involve much more specific charges and much shorter time periods than are present here. People v. Naugle included as a factor to be considered "the prosecutor’s efforts to pinpoint a date.” There is no evidence in the present case that any such effort as delineated in that case was made. None of the five cases appear to involve conduct which may or may not have occurred within the charged periods. I do not find these cases persuasive on the facts before us.