State v. Lambrechts

OPINION

MURRAY, Justice.

This case comes before us on appeal by the defendant, Pierre Lambrechts, from his conviction on six counts of second-degree sexual assault. The defendant argues that the trial justice erred in denying his motion in arrest of judgment despite the defendant’s conviction on time-barred offenses. The underlying issue is whether a criminal defendant waives his or her statute-of-limitations defense by failing to raise it below. This is a case of first impression in Rhode Island, and we hold that the statute of limitations is an affirmative defense that must be raised at or…