Commonwealth v. Rather

The defendant was charged in six indictments with the following offenses: three acts of forcible rape of a child, two acts of assault and battery, and one act of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon. He was convicted by a jury of all the charges. On appeal, the defendant claims that the judge committed reversible error by allowing in evidence expert testimony concerning the patterns of disclosure by children who are victims of child sexual abuse.

Three young sons of the defendant were the victims named in the three indictments that charged him with forcible rape. The offenses…