Commonwealth v. Rahim

A grand jury indicted the defendant on numerous charges, including rape and abuse of a child under the age of sixteen years, in connection with the alleged sexual abuse of his stepdaughter. Among those charges are six indictments charging incest in violation of G. L. c. 272, § 17 (incest statute).1 The defendant moved to dismiss the incest charges, arguing that, *274because he was neither the natural nor adoptive father of his stepdaughter, and had no “blood-kin” relationship with her, the necessary element of consanguinity under the incest statute was absent. A Superior Court judge, pursuant to…