Bakken v. State

RABINOWITZ, Justice.

John James Bakken appeals from his conviction of the crime of statutory rape.1

Bakken was indicted for the statutory rape2 of a 15-year-old girl named Bessie Wilson. At the trial, Stevee Stevens testified that she, Bessie Wilson, and Bakken were all at a party together; that Bessie and Bakken both left the living room; that Bessie was in the bedroom from 3 a. m. to 4 a. m., but she could not see the bedroom door and did not know if Bakken was in or had entered the same room as Bessie; that Bessie and Bakken had been “kiddin’ around and messing around and that’s about all.”

Be…