Henry v. State

Christopher Henry was charged with one count of second-degree sexual battery for raping his cellmate at the Palm Beach *1169County Jail.1 His first jury trial in this case ended with a hung jury. At his second trial, which is the subject of this appeal, Henry’s primary defense was that he and the victim engaged in consensual sexual relations. We reverse the conviction because the trial court erroneously curtailed cross-examination of the victim about the details of a plea bargain in his case that was pending at the time of the alleged attack.

On direct examination of the victim, the prosecutor…