Houchen v. State

BARTEAU, Judge.

Sterling Houchen appeals his conviction of child molesting, a Class C felony. 1 Because a prosecution witness improperly and deliberately informed the jury that Houchen had been offered a polygraph examination, we must reverse the conviction.

FACTS

Connie Houchen, appellant Sterling Hou-chen's wife, operated a home day care center in Frankfort, Indiana In June of 1991, A.M., a four-year-old girl for whom Connie provided day care, accused Sterling Houchen of molesting her. Detective Toney of the Frankfort police department interrogated Houchen at the police station in the late…