State v. Beekman

Appellant, Richard Burton Beekman, was convicted of criminal sexual conduct (CSC) with a minor in the first degree and lewd act upon a child. On appeal, Beekman contends the trial court erred in: (1) refusing to sever the two charges because they involved two victims, did not arise out of a single chain of circumstances, and were not provable by the same evidence; (2) admitting alleged prior bad act evidence where there was only a general similarity between the prior bad act and the crime and the probative value was outweighed by its prejudicial effect; and (3) failing to grant a new trial…