People v. Fenner
People v. Fenner
Opinion of the Court
Defendant was convicted by a jury of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, MCL 750.520b(l)(a); MSA 28.788(2)(l)(a). On defendant’s
Defendant raises several arguments on appeal, one of which involves the admission at trial of certain hearsay statements made by three different witnesses, recounting out-of-court statements made to them by the 10-year-old complainant. The complainant testified at trial that defendant, who was her uncle, had penetrated her vagina with one of his fingers on the evening of August 10, 1978. Prior to the complainant’s trial testimony, the examining physician, the arresting officer, and the complainant’s mother testified about statements made to them by the complainant shortly after the alleged incident. Defense counsel failed to raise any hearsay objections to the testimony.
Defendant nevertheless urges us to consider his objections on appeal because the hearsay testimony resulted in manifest injustice, People v Stull, 127 Mich App 14, 22; 338 NW2d 403 (1983), or, in the alternative, that defense counsel’s failure to object constitutes a mistake so serious that it may have been outcome determinative. People v Garcia, 398 Mich 250, 264; 247 NW2d 547 (1976), reh den 399 Mich 1041 (1977). We agree that reversal is mandated under either of these two theories.
At the outset, we note that testimony regarding the complainant’s out-of-court statements was not admissible under the tender years exception to the
It is arguable that the trial court properly may have admitted Deputy Philip Alderink’s testimony regarding the statement made to him by the complainant with or without objection. As the arresting officer, Deputy Alderink was the first adult to encounter the complainant after the incident. It is clear from the deputy’s testimony that the complainant was extremely upset and nervous and crying when defendant was pulled over for drunk driving. While the complainant said nothing as she, her brother, and her uncle were transported to the sheriffs office, the events of the previous evening were recounted the moment the complainant and her brother were outside the presence of their uncle. The complainant’s statements arose out of a startling event and related to the circumstances of that event. We cannot say that the admission of Deputy Alderink’s testimony resulted in manifest injustice, nor can we say that defense counsel’s failure to object to the testimony constitutes a serious mistake requiring reversal.
We believe, however, that the testimony of the complainant’s mother regarding the statements made to her by her daughter cannot be similarly justified. While the record is not entirely clear on
The error in admitting the mother’s testimony was compounded by the mother’s subsequent testimony that complainant consistently adhered to the same story.
For similar reasons, the testimony of Dr. James R. Boswell, the examining physician, regarding a statement made to him by the complainant is not admissible under the excited utterance exception to the hearsay rule. Neither can we find the physician’s testimony admissible under People v McGillen #2, 392 Mich 278; 220 NW2d 689 (1974), where it was announced that testimony of the examining physician in a criminal sexual conduct case is admissible to establish (1) penetration and (2) that the penetration was against the will of the victim. Here, the examining physician’s testimony went beyond this narrow scope when he testified that the complainant had informed him that her uncle was the perpetrator and concluded that the complainant’s physical condition was consistent with her story. Compare People v Gerald Wells, 102 Mich App 558; 302 NW2d 232 (1980), lv den 411 Mich 980 (1981) (where the examining physician did not testify that he believed defendant had raped the complaining witness at a specific time and place but only that, in his opinion, the com
We conclude that the errors that resulted with the admission of the complainant’s out-of-court statements, through the testimony of her mother and the examining physician, cannot be said to be harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. Given our conclusion, we find no need to review defendant’s other allegations of attorney error.
Reversed.
Dissenting Opinion
(dissenting). I respectfully dissent.
I believe that the testimony of the deputy was clearly admissible under the excited utterance exception to the hearsay rule. MRE 803(2). The complainant’s statements arose out of a startling and traumatizing occurrence: the sexual assault committed by her uncle. Although the assault occurred the previous evening, it would not have been unusual for a child to be either in shock or afraid to speak about the assault while in the presence of her assailant. In my opinion, the passage of time between the assault and the child’s statements to the deputy would not have rendered her statements inadmissible under any circumstances. The startling occurrence was still fresh in her mind.
Likewise, I would also find the child’s statements to her mother admissible under the same exception. Although the child may have appeared calmer after speaking with the deputy, I do not believe that her statements to the deputy preclude
I do agree that the physician’s testimony, as it related to the identity of the complainant’s assailant, was erroneously admitted, but I would find the error harmless beyond a reasonable doubt in light of the overwhelming evidence of defendant’s guilt. I do not believe that the physician’s statement was a crucial factor in the determination of defendant’s guilt.
As to the ineffective assistance of counsel claim, the matter was remanded to the trial court for a hearing on this question. Having observed the attorney at trial and having presided at the hearing, the trial judge was in a position to determine whether counsel was effective or not. My review of the record does not show that the trial judge’s finding of effective assistance was clearly erroneous.
I would, therefore, affirm defendant’s conviction.
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