Commonwealth v. Corbett

A District Court complaint issued against the defendant on July 17, 1987, charging him with indecent assault and battery on a child under fourteen in violation of G. L. c. 265, § 13B. The victim, four and a half years old when the alleged offense occurred on May 27, 1987, was the only percipient witness. On August 4, 1987, when the victim was four years and nine months old, a District Court judge conducted a competency hearing. He asked the child numerous questions about her age, family members, friends, nursery school, and play and other activities, virtually all of which she answered with…