Simmons v. State
Indiana Supreme Court
504 N.E.2d 575 (1987)
- Written by Rich Walter, JD
Facts
J.Y. was raped and robbed at knifepoint by an assailant who threatened to kill the young woman. J.Y. persuaded the assailant to let her go, but only after J.Y. allowed the assailant to steal her car and agreed to lie to the police about what had happened, which is what J.Y. did when she initially reported the incident. A few weeks later J.Y. changed her story and gave the police a credible account of what actually had happened. Wendell Simmons (defendant) was subsequently arrested, tried, found guilty, and sentenced to the maximum term of imprisonment. On appeal to the Indiana Supreme Court, Simmons raised numerous challenges, including three relating directly to J.Y. First, Simmons charged that the trial court abused its discretion in permitting two qualified experts to testify that, in their opinion, J.Y.’s conflicting accounts of the incident were attributable to rape-trauma syndrome. Second, Simmons charged the trial court with abusing its discretion by admitting evidence of J.Y.’s post-rape fearfulness, trauma, and suffering. Third, Simmons charged the trial court with abusing its discretion by sentencing Simmons in part on the basis of J.Y.’s request for imposition of the maximum sentence.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Pivarnik, J.)
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