State v. Jones

Under Washington's child victim hearsay statute, RCW 9A.44.120, a child's description of an "act of sexual contact performed with or on the child by another" is admissible as hearsay evidence in a criminal case if the statement bears sufficient indicia of reliability, and, when the child is unavailable as a witness, "there is corroborative evidence of the act.” At issue in this case is the application of the corroboration requirement to the facts presented.

I

The State commenced this prosecution against Gerald Jones in December 1985, charging that Jones had committed indecent liberties by…