State v. Matthews

GARRISON, Judge.

Willard Matthews, Jr. (“Defendant”) appeals his conviction for sodomy, § 566.060, RSMo 1994. He raises issues about the admissibility of testimony by two witnesses about the characteristics of children who have been sexually abused, and the trial court’s refusal to give a converse instruction tendered by him. We affirm.

In December 1992, Defendant was living in Taney County, Missouri with his son, his wife, Mary, and her daughter, A.J., the victim, who was then twelve years old. A.J. testified that Defendant was the disciplinarian in the family, and, when he felt that she…