Respondent's Brief - Washington State Courts

Respondent's Brief - Washington State Courts Respondent's Brief - Washington State Courts

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A. ISSUES PERTAINING TO APPELLANT'S ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR. Whether the trial court properly admitted the testimony of Cornelia Thomas where such testimony provided the necessary context that enabled the jury to assess the reasonableness of the victim's interview responses and did not constitute improper opinion testimony on the veracity of the victim. 2. Whether the trial court properly denied Defendant's motion to admit evidence of the victim's mother's drug and vocational history as not relevant. 3. Whether the defendant has failed to meet his burden of showing either prosecutorial misconduct or that the unchallenged argument at issue was flagrant and illintentioned. 4. Whether the trial court properly granted the trial continuances where those continuances did not violate Defendant's rights to speedy trial as protected by the time for trial provisions of CrR 3.3. B. STATEMENT OF THE CASE. Procedure On December 16, 2009, Dennis McDaniel, hereinafter referred to as "Defendant," was charged by information with one count offirst-degree rape of a child. CP 1. The State filed an amended information on June 15, 2010, which added count 11, first degree child molestation. CP 7-8. I - optest-prosm i scsptrial-mcd aniel. doc

The court originally set Defendant's trial date for February 24, 2010. CP 159; Appendix A. However, on January 15, 2010, the defendant requested a 106-day continuance to June 10, 2010, which the court granted. CP 160; Appendix B. On June 10, 2010, both parties requested a 39-day continuance to July 19, 2010, which the court granted, due, in part, to the receipt of new discovery in the form of counseling records. CP 161; Appendix C. On July 19, 2010, the State requested a 52-day continuance to September 9, 2010, which the court granted, due to the unavailability of two of the State's material witnesses and the scheduling of a defense interview of one of those witnesses, who was apparently out of the country at the time. CP 162; 02/24/ 2010 RP 4 -11 Appendix D. On September 3, 2010, defense counsel and the State requested a continuance of 54 days to November 2, 2010, which the court granted due to the defense attorney's necessity to interview witnesses, and the court's in camera review of newly obtained discovery. CP 163; Appendix E. On November 2, 2010, both parties requested a 30-day continuance to December 2, 2010, which the court granted. CP 164, 11/02/ 2010 RP 13 -15; Appendix F. I Reports of pre-trial proceedings will be in the following format: late [[ of proceeding] RP [page number]; otherwise citations to the report of proceedings will follow the format: RP [page number]. 2 - optest-prosmiscsptrialmcdaniel.doc

A. ISSUES PERTAINING TO APPELLANT'S ASSIGNMENTS OF<br />

ERROR.<br />

Whether the trial court properly admitted the testimony of<br />

Cornelia Thomas where such testimony provided the<br />

necessary context that enabled the jury to assess the<br />

reasonableness of the victim's interview responses and did<br />

not constitute improper opinion testimony on the veracity<br />

of the victim.<br />

2. Whether the trial court properly denied Defendant's motion<br />

to admit evidence of the victim's mother's drug and<br />

vocational history as not relevant.<br />

3. Whether the defendant has failed to meet his burden of<br />

showing either prosecutorial misconduct or that the<br />

unchallenged argument at issue was flagrant and illintentioned.<br />

4. Whether the trial court properly granted the trial<br />

continuances where those continuances did not violate<br />

Defendant's rights to speedy trial as protected by the time<br />

for trial provisions of CrR 3.3.<br />

B. STATEMENT OF THE CASE.<br />

Procedure<br />

On December 16, 2009, Dennis McDaniel, hereinafter referred to<br />

as "Defendant," was charged by information with one count offirst-degree<br />

rape of a child. CP 1.<br />

The <strong>State</strong> filed an amended information on June 15, 2010, which<br />

added count 11, first degree child molestation. CP 7-8.<br />

I - optest-prosm i scsptrial-mcd aniel. doc

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