Defending Allegations of
Sexual Child Abuse
in Maryland
By Thomas P. Bernier, Esq.
Table
of Contents
Dedications................................................................................................................ iii
About the
Author....................................................................................................... ix
Foreword .................................................................................................................. xi
Preface....................................................................................................................... xiii
Acknowledgements
................................................................................................... xv
Table of
Contents...................................................................................................... xix
Chapter One
The
Initial Client Meeting
I.
The Initial Interview .................................................................................................................... 1
A. In
General 1
B.
Confidentiality
1
C.
Execute
a Release 2
D.
Biographical
Information 2
E.
Criminal
History 2
F.
Pretrial
Release 2
G.
Search
Warrants, Statements, Testing and Samples 3
H.
Obtain the
Paperwork, Request a Preliminary Hearing and Collect Evidence 4
I.
Information
on the Complaining Witness/Alleged Victim 4
J.
Visit
the Scene 5
K.
Polygraph
Testing and Diagnostic Evaluation 5
L.
Alerting
the Client 5
M.
Managing
the Client’s Stress Levels 6
II.
The Retainer Agreement ........................................................................................................... 6
Chapter Two
Maryland’s
Child Abuse Statute
I.
The History of Maryland’s Child
Abuse Statute — Introduction ....................................... 9
II.
The First Statute in Maryland
(1963) ..................................................................................... 9
III. The First Reporting Requirement (1964) .............................................................................. 9
IV.
The 1966 Revisions .................................................................................................................... 9
V.
Introducing Art. 27, § 35A
(1970) ......................................................................................... 10
VI.
The 1973 Revisions .................................................................................................................. 10
VII.
Sexual Abuse is Added (1974) ................................................................................................ 10
VIII.
Definition of “Sexual Abuse” Expands
(1977) .................................................................... 11
IX.
Relocation of the Reporting and Immunity
Sections (1984) ............................................. 11
X.
The General Assembly Responds to
Case Law (1990) ....................................................... 12
XI.
Family and Household Members Come
Under the Act (1991) .......................................... 13
XII. Minor Changes from 1992 through 2001 ............................................................................ 14
XIII. Legislative Changes Effective Oct. 1, 2002 —
Re-codification
...................................................................... of
Article 27 into Maryland Criminal Law Code 14
A.
Separate
Statute for Sexual Abuse 14
B.
Continuing
Course of Conduct With Child (Crim. Law § 3-315) 14
XIV.
Legislative Changes Effective Oct. 1,
2003 ......................................................................... 15
A. Criminal
Law § 3-601 15
B.
Criminal
Law § 3-602 16
Chapter Three
The Current Version of the Law
I.
Child Abuse ................................................................................................................................ 19
A.
Physical
Child Abuse 19
B. Sexual
Abuse of a Minor 21
C.
Continuing
Course of Conduct 22
II.
Elements of Sexual Child Abuse ............................................................................................ 23
A.
In
General 23
B.
Status
of Accused and Victim 24
1.
Age
24
a. Child
under age 18 25
b. Child
under age 14 25
c. Child
who is 14 or 15 25
d. Child
under age 16 26
2.
Family
member 26
3.
Household
member 26
4.
Parent
or other person 27
C.
Relationship
28
1.
Permanent
or temporary care or custody 28
2.
Responsibility
for supervision 28
D.
Underlying
Acts 30
1.
In
general 30
2.
Sexual
molestation or exploitation 30
3.
Sexual abuse 31
a. Incest
31
b. Second
degree rape 32
c. First
degree rape 34
d. Sodomy
34
e. Unnatural
or perverted sexual practices 35
f. Sexual
offense in any degree 38
(1) Mentally
defective individual 40
(2) Mentally
incapacitated individual 41
(3) Physically
helpless individual 41
(4) Fellatio
41
(5) Cunnilingus
42
(6) For
abuse 43
(7) Penetration
43
4.
The
statutory sexual offenses 44
a. First
degree sexual offense 44
b. Second
degree sexual offense 45
c. Third
degree sexual offense 45
d. Fourth
degree sexual offense 46
E. Criminal
Law § 3-315 — Continuing Course of Conduct with Child 47
1. Continuing
course of conduct — Void for vagueness? 48
2.
Sentences
consecutive to § 3-601 — Double Jeopardy? 48
3.
Required
number of acts — Unanimous verdicts? 48
4.
Subsection
(d)(1) and (d)(2) — Subject to prosecutorial abuse 49
Chapter Four
Before
Charges are Filed
I.
When the Client Contacts Counsel
Before Charges Are Filed ....................................... 51
II.
Get the Facts .............................................................................................................................. 51
III.
Advise the Client to Remain Silent ........................................................................................ 51
IV.
Assess the Credibility of Client’s
Story ............................................................................... 52
V.
Polygraph Testing .................................................................................................................... 52
A.
In
general 52
B.
State
Administered Polygraph 53
VI.
Prior to the Meeting with
Investigators ................................................................................ 54
VII.
During the Meeting .................................................................................................................. 54
VIII.
Agreements ................................................................................................................................ 54
Chapter Five
Reviewing
the Charging Documents
I.
Why Examine the Charging
Documents? ............................................................................ 57
II.
Charging Documents in Maryland ........................................................................................ 57
A.
In
General 57
B.
Citation
58
C.
Statement
of Charges 58
D.
Criminal
Information 59
E.
Indictment
59
III.
Constitutional and Statutory
Requirements ........................................................................ 60
A.
In
General 60
B.
U.S.
Constitutional, 6th Amendment Rights 60
C.
Maryland
Declaration of Rights, Article 21 60
D.
Maryland
Rule 4-202 61
IV.
Attacking the Charging Document ....................................................................................... 62
A.
In
General 62
B.
Read
the Charging Document Carefully 62
C.
Check
the Effective Date of the Charged Statutes 63
D.
Remember
the One-Year Statute of Limitations for Misdemeanors 63
E.
Are
the Charges Statutory or Common Law Offenses? 63
F. Are
the Essential Facts of the Offense Set Out? 65
G.
Are
the Charges Stated with Reasonable Particularity? 67
1.
Location
of the offense 67
2.
Time
of the offense 67
a. The
nature of the offense 70
b. The
age and maturity of the child 70
c. The
victim’s ability to recall specific dates 71
d. The
State’s good-faith efforts and ability to determine reasonable dates 71
e. Other
considerations 72
(1) Length
of time in indictment 72
(2) Is
the crime a continuing offense 73
(3) Resident
alleged child molesters 73
(4) Length
of time since abuse occurred 74
H.
Are
the Charging Documents Duplicitous? 75
I.
Can
These Charges be Filed in Other Jurisdictions? 77
J.
Can
the Charging Document be Amended? 79
Chapter Six
Pretrial Discovery
I.
Overview of Discovery .............................................................................................................. 81
II.
Attorney “Leg Work” ............................................................................................................. 81
III.
Use of an Investigator ............................................................................................................... 82
IV.
The Preliminary Hearing ........................................................................................................ 82
V.
Discovery Pursuant to Rule 4-263 ........................................................................................ 83
A.
In
General 83
B.
No
Automatic Discovery 87
1.
As
to the person of the defendant 87
2.
As
to reports of experts 87
3.
As
to computer-generated evidence 88
VI.
Request for a Bill of Particulars ............................................................................................ 89
A.
Rule
4-241 90
B.
Criminal
Law § 3-317 91
VII. Subpoena for Tangible Evidence Before Trial
..................................................................... 92
VIII.
Subpoena for Hearing or Trial ............................................................................................... 94
Chapter Seven
Pretrial
Filings
I. What Should Be Filed Pretrial? ............................................................................................ 97
II.
Cases Filed in District Court;
Preservation of Grand Jury Testimony ......................... 97
III.
Entry of Appearance ................................................................................................................. 98
IV.
Initial Plea .................................................................................................................................. 98
V.
Demand for Jury Trial ............................................................................................................. 98
VI.
Request for Speedy Trial ......................................................................................................... 98
VII.
Maryland Rule 4-263 — Discovery
Request ....................................................................... 99
VIII. Bill of Particulars .................................................................................................................... 99
IX.
Motions Practice ....................................................................................................................... 99
A.
In
General 99
B.
Mandatory
Motions 99
1.
Defect
in the institution of the prosecution 100
a. Discriminatory
prosecution 100
b. Equal
protection 100
c. No
advice of preliminary hearing 100
d. Charges
not subject to probable cause finding 100
e. Double
jeopardy 100
f. Improper
venue 101
2.
Defect
in the charging document 101
a. Duplicity
101
b. Failure
of State’s Attorney to sign criminal information 101
c. Inaccuracies
in language 101
d. Incorrect
or misspelled names 101
3.
An unlawful
search, seizure, interception of wire or oral communication,
or pretrial identification ................................................................................................................ 102
4.
An
unlawfully obtained admission, statement, or confession 102
5. A
request for joint or separate trial of defendants or offenses 103
a. Generally
103
b. Other
crimes or bad acts 104
C.
Motion
to Transfer to Juvenile Court 105
D.
Other
Motions Rule 4-252(d) 105
1.
Generally
105
2.
Reassignment
and removal 105
3.
Jurisdiction
106
4.
Limine
106
5.
Affirmative
defenses (limitations) 106
Chapter Eight
Challenging the State’s Case
I. Overview ................................................................................................................................... 107
II.
The State’s Opening Statement ........................................................................................... 107
III.
Testimony from the Alleged Victim .................................................................................... 107
A.
In
General 107
B.
The
Young Child Witness 107
1.
Competency
108
2.
Accommodations
for the child witness 109
3.
Clearing
the courtroom 109
4. Screening
the witness from the defendant 110
5.
Close
captioned television 110
6.
Support
personnel 113
7.
Comfort
items 114
8.
Anatomically
correct dolls 115
9.
“ Tender
Years” hearsay exception 118
C.
Suggestibility
of the Child Witness’ Testimony 122
D.
Older
Victim/Witnesses 123
E.
Accompanying
Civil Action 124
F.
Victim/Witness’
Prior Sexual Activities 124
G.
Victim’s
Ulterior Motives 126
H.
S.A.I.D.
Syndrome 127
I.
Other
Tactics 128
IV.
Social Service and Police
Investigators ............................................................................. 128
V.
The Medical Witness ............................................................................................................. 132
VI.
The Psychiatrist, Psychologist or
Psychotherapist Witness ........................................ 136
A.
In
General 136
B.
Use
of Therapies 137
1.
Hypnosis 138
2.
Recovered
memory or false memory 139
3.
Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder and CSAAS 141
4.
Anatomically
correct dolls 145
5.
Differential
diagnosis (DSM IV) 145
VII.
Members of the Victim’s Family .......................................................................................... 145
Chapter Nine
Presenting the Defense Case
I.
Overview ................................................................................................................................... 147
II.
Trial by Judge or Jury ........................................................................................................... 147
A. In
General 147
B.
Voir
Dire 148
III.
The Basic Defense Case ........................................................................................................ 148
A.
In
General 148
B.
Opening
Statement 148
C.
Should
the Defendant Testify? 149
D.
Expert
Testimony 149
1.
Medical
testimony 150
2.
Psychiatric
testimony 151
a. Generally
151
b. Challenging
the State’s expert witness 151
c. Opinions
as to the defendant 151
(1) MMPI
& MMPI-2 152
(2) Abel
Assessment of sexual interest 153
(3) MCMI
154
(4) Penile
plethysmography 154
3.
Alibi
witnesses 154
4.
The
friendly family member witness 155
5.
Character
witnesses 157
6.
Closing
argument 158
Chapter Ten
Post-Trial
Issues
I.
Overview ................................................................................................................................... 161
II.
Post-Trial Filings ................................................................................................................... 161
A.
In
General 161
B.
Motions
Filed Before Sentencing 161
1.
Continuation
of bail 161
2.
Motion
for new trial 162
C.
Post-Sentencing
Filings 164
1.
Notice
of appeal 164
2.
Request
for stay of sentence pending appeal 164
3.
Motion
for modification of sentence. 164
4.
Review
of sentence by three-judge panel 166
III.
Sentencing ............................................................................................................................... 168
A.
In
General 168
B.
Statutory
Penalties 168
C.
Presentence
Investigation 169
1.
Generally
169
2.
Maryland
Sentencing Guidelines 172
D.
Preparation for Sentencing Hearing 173
1.
Generally
173
2.
Prepare
the client for jail 176
3.
Who
should testify 176
a. Family
members 176
b. Friends
and business associates 177
c. Expert
testimony 177
d. Testimony
from defendant 177
E.
Sentencing
Options 178
1.
Generally
178
2.
Probation
before judgment 178
3.
Straight
probation 181
4.
Custodial
confinement 182
5.
Incarceration
182
a. Double
Jeopardy and Merger Doctrine 182
b. Cruel
and unusual punishment 184
c. Credit
for time served 185
IV.
Registration of Offenders Under §
11-701 ........................................................................ 186
A.
In
General 186
B.
Classification
188
1.
Generally
188
2.
Offender
188
3. Child s