State v. Halstead

UHLENHOPP, Justice.

In this proceeding we review a decision of the Iowa Court of Appeals. The principal issue involves the testimony of a psychiatrist regarding the credibility of a witness, a small boy.

Defendant Winston Carl Halstead moved in with the boy’s mother on May 4, 1982. The three lived together until some time in late July, when defendant moved to another woman’s apartment in the same complex.

On August 2,1982, the boy told his babysitter about a sexual attack by defendant. The babysitter immediately informed the mother of the child’s statement. The mother asked the boy if the story…