Commonwealth v. Rhodes
Commonwealth v. Rhodes
Opinion of the Court
Following a jury trial in the Superior Court, the defendant was convicted of assault with intent to rape his daughter. On appeal the defendant argues that there were numerous errors in the jury instructions, the conviction may have rested on an improper factual basis, and the judge abused her discretion in denying him access to certain treatment records. We affirm.
Facts. Based on the evidence at trial the jury could have found that on different dates when his daughter was between five and nine years old, the defendant used his hands to "move [his daughter's] butt cheeks out of the way," and she would feel pressure and movement from the defendant's penis around her anus.
Discussion. 1. Jury instructions. The defendant raises five errors relating to the jury instructions. He advances both preserved and unpreserved claims of error relating to the jury instructions. We review for prejudicial error when an error is preserved. See Commonwealth v. Vick,
a. Assault. The defendant claims the judge erred by instructing the jury on both the attempted battery and threatened battery theories of assault where there was no factual basis for a finding based on the threatened battery theory. Because the defendant's exception was preserved, we review the defendant's claim for prejudicial error.
Under the common law there are two theories of assault: attempted battery and threatened battery. Commonwealth v. Porro,
b. Delayed reporting and mandated reporter instructions. Additionally, the defendant objected to the denial of his requests for the use of specific language in the instruction on delayed reporting and in a supplemental instruction on mandated reporters of child abuse in response to a jury question. A trial judge has "considerable discretion in framing jury instructions, both in determining the precise phraseology used and the appropriate degree of elaboration." Commonwealth v. Newell,
Here, the judge's instruction on first complaint included the model jury instruction relating to delay in reporting. The judge denied the defendant's request to include additional language which, the defendant claims, would have resulted in a more balanced instruction since it would inform the jurors that "truthful and false reports [of sexual assault] may be made at any time." While the first complaint doctrine removes the requirement that a complaint be "fresh," it does not entirely remove the timing of the complaint from the jury's consideration. In fact, in announcing the first complaint rule, the Supreme Judicial Court said that "the timing of the complaint, [the victim's] motivation for disclosing the assault to the particular person told and in the particular circumstances, and the manner in which the [victim] made the disclosure, may be essential to the jury's understanding and appreciation of the first complaint testimony." Commonwealth v. King,
During deliberations the jury made inquiry as to whether the victim's "clinicians" had an obligation to report a fabricated claim of abuse similar to their obligation to report suspected abuse. In response, the defendant sought an instruction on the mandated reporter law. The judge rejected the defendant's request and informed the jury that the question involved facts and legal conclusions that were not part of the case, and that they should only consider the evidence admitted during the trial and her previous instructions.
" 'The proper response to a jury question must remain within the discretion of the trial judge, who has observed the evidence and the jury firsthand and can tailor supplemental instructions accordingly.' The judge's discretion to formulate a response is broad." Commonwealth v. Monteagudo,
c. Credibility and first complaint. The defendant for the first time on appeal claims portions of the jury instructions on credibility and first complaint were flawed.
2. Sufficiency of factual basis. Next, the defendant raises the argument that there was a risk that the jury's verdict may have rested on an improper factual basis. The defendant concedes the testimony from the victim that there were multiple occasions when the defendant would move her butt cheeks and put his penis on her butt, if credited, was sufficient to support the conviction of assault with intent to rape. However, the defendant contends that the incident on September 29, 2012, wherein, the victim testified, the defendant joined her in the shower and touched her butt, was insufficient to support the conviction under either theory of assault. The defendant now argues that because the jury may have rested their verdict on the September 29 events, the conviction must be reversed.
We find no merit in the defendant's argument. The judge instructed the jury, at the defendant's request, that the offenses occurred on diverse dates between April 1, 2008, and September 28, 2012. Additionally, immediately following the testimony of the daughter relating to the events on September 29, 2012, the judge provided the jury with a limiting instruction that the testimony of events that occurred on September 29, 2012, concerned uncharged conduct and was admissible for the limited purpose to show the overall nature of the defendant's relationship with his daughter. The judge's instructions clearly informed the jury that September 29, 2012, was excluded as a possible date of offense and the testimony regarding the shower event concerned uncharged conduct. Since it is presumed that jurors will follow all of the judge's instructions, we discern no error here, let alone a substantial risk of a miscarriage of justice. See Commonwealth v. Watkins,
3. Treatment records. Finally, the defendant argues that the trial judge abused her discretion by denying in part his requests to summons the daughter's counselling records. The defendant requested summonses pursuant to Mass.R.Crim.P. 17(a)(2),
We review a judge's ruling on rule 17(a)(2) motions for abuse of discretion. See Commonwealth v. Mitchell,
"[T]he party moving to subpoena documents to be produced before trial must establish good cause, satisfied by a showing '(1) that the documents are evidentiary and relevant; (2) that they are not otherwise procurable reasonably in advance of trial by exercise of due diligence; (3) that the party cannot properly prepare for trial without such production and inspection in advance of trial and that the failure to obtain such inspection may tend unreasonably to delay the trial; and (4) that the application is made in good faith and is not intended as a general "fishing expedition." ' " Commonwealth v. Dwyer,
Here, the judge determined the defendant failed to satisfy the requirement that the documents sought are "material and relevant." The defendant must make a factual showing "that the documentary evidence sought has a 'rational tendency to prove [or disprove] an issue in the case.' " Lampron,
Judgment affirmed.
The judge provided the model jury instructions for witness credibility and first complaint. The defendant claims it was error for the judge to include in the credibility instruction that the jury "must resolve [any] conflicts [in the testimony] and ... determine where the truth lies," see Criminal Model Jury Instructions for Use in the District Court § 2.260 (2009 ed.), and that it was error to include in the first complaint instruction that the "[victim] may have reported the alleged assault to more than one person," see Massachusetts Superior Court Criminal Practice Jury Instructions § 7.11 (Mass. Cont. Legal Educ. 2d ed. 2013).
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.