Short v. State

Annabelle Clinton Imber, Justice.

Appellant Gregory Short was convicted of first-degree sexual abuse in violation of Ark. Code Ann. § 5-14-108(a)(4) (Repl. 1997) (repealed). He raises two points on appeal: (1) The trial court erred in ruling that first-degree sexual abuse is a strict-liability crime; and (2) the trial court erred by excluding proffered testimony regarding the victim’s sexual conduct. We disagree and affirm.

This appeal raises the issue of whether the State has the burden of proving a culpable mental state in connection with a charge of first-degree sexual abuse involving a…