State v. Ringler

Defendant appeals his conviction of lewd and lascivious conduct with a male child who was seven years of age at the time of the alleged offense. 13 V.S.A. § 2602. During a trial by jury, the court excluded evidence that the child first reported the defendant’s abuse of him when the boy himself was under investigation for, and being questioned about, sexually abusing other children. Defendant claims this ruling violated his state and federal constitutional rights to confrontation and to present a defense. We decline to reach a constitutional challenge concerning the admission of prior…