Ballard v. Commonwealth

OPINION OF THE COURT

Appellant, Art Ballard, was indicted in October of 1985, and charged with three counts of sexual abuse in the first degree, one count of attempted rape in the first degree, and sodomy in the first degree. The charges arose from allegations that appellant had sexually molested his nine-year-old granddaughter. Upon a jury verdict, appellant was convicted of all charges and sentenced to fifty years imprisonment. Appellant appeals from this conviction and asserts four claims of error.

First, appellant argues that he was denied due process of law because the trial court tried…