State v. Tarrats

WILKINS, Associate Chief Justice:

¶ 1 Jonathan Tarrats, the defendant in a rape prosecution, appeals the trial court’s interlocutory order excluding evidence that the accusing witness had allegedly made a prior false rape claim against another man in an unrelated incident. The sole issue on appeal is whether the trial court abused its discretion in finding Tarrats’ evidence that the prior claim was false inadmissible under Utah Rules of Evidence 412 and 403. We affirm the ruling of the trial court.

BACKGROUND

¶2 Tarrats and his accuser were introduced to each other by a mutual friend, Jami…