Commonwealth v. Nicholas

The defendant was tried before a jury on two indictments charging him with rape of a child (G. L. c. 265, § 23). He was convicted on only so much of each indictment as charged indecent assault and battery on a child (G. L. c. 265, § 13B). He has appealed from the ensuing judgments. We reverse. A recitation of the facts beyond those mentioned in the discussion below is unnecessary.

1. The defendant alleges that it was error for the trial judge to preclude him from cross-examining one of the victims, age nine at the time of trial, as to whether her mother had improperly coached her on how to…