Hartman v. State

b Samuel Hartman appeals his convictions for rape and tampering with physical evidence. 1 He argues that substantial evidence does not support the convictions. He also contends that the circuit court erred when it failed to remove a juror with ties to the rape victim’s family and failed to give a lesser-included-offense jury instruction for the rape charge. We affirm on all points except for the tampering-with-physical-evidenee conviction, which we reverse and dismiss.

I. Background Facts

Samuel Hartman’s stepdaughter, E.R., told her mother that Hartman had touched her genitals. E.R. was…