Commonwealth v. Kirouac

We reverse the defendant’s conviction of indecent assault and battery on a child under the age of fourteen. The lack of cooperation by the alleged child victim, whom we shall call Valerie (not her real name), during the defendant’s attempts to cross-examine her denied the defendant any meaningful opportunity for cross-examination.

The indictment alleged multiple rapes and indecent assaults and batteries on Valerie, the defendant’s natural daughter. The defendant had court ordered visitation rights. Visits occurred every other week at the defendant’s house, where he lived with his parents and…