People v. Short

Citations

• 2018 COA 47
• 425 P.3d 1208

Syllabus

A jury found Short guilty of sexual assault on a child and sexual assault on a child as a pattern of abuse. On appeal, Short contended that the testimony of three witnesses improperly bolstered the victim's credibility. Short did not object to any of this testimony. It was not improper for the therapist to testify as an expert as to the typical demeanor and behavioral traits displayed by a sexually abused child. It was also not improper for the detective to testify concerning his observations about child victim disclosures he rendered no opinion about whether a child's difficulty in disclosing something made it more or less likely that he or she was telling the truth. Finally, although the grandmother's testimony that the victim \normally would not lie about something like that\ was improper, it did not warrant reversal. Short also argued that the trial court erroneously compelled him to forgo admitting an exculpatory part of a statement he gave to the police by telling him that, if that part of the statement was admitted, the prosecution would be permitted to expose the jury to the fact that he had previously been convicted of a felony. The trial court properly determined that Short's otherwise inadmissible self-serving hearsay was admissible under the rule of completeness to qualify, explain, or place into context the evidence proffered by the prosecution. However, a defendant's exculpatory statement to the police admissible under the rule of completeness is not subject to impeachment under CRE 806. Although the trial court erred, the error was harmless. Short also contended and the People conceded that only one judgment of conviction and sentence should have been imposed in this case. The trial court incorrectly entered separate convictions for sexual assault on a child and sexual assault on a child as a pattern of abuse. The pattern of abuse count acts only as a sentence enhancer.