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Elder Abuse & Sexual Assault. Tristan D. Svare Deputy District Attorney, San Bernardino County Family Violence Unit - Elder Abuse Prosecution (909) 387-6533 tsvare@sbcda.org. Elder Abuse IS A Problem… Elder Sexual Assault IS A Problem…. What Can We Do About It? PROSECUTE FULLY.
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Elder Abuse &Sexual Assault Tristan D. Svare Deputy District Attorney, San Bernardino County Family Violence Unit - Elder Abuse Prosecution (909) 387-6533 tsvare@sbcda.org
Elder Abuse IS A Problem…Elder Sexual Assault IS A Problem… What Can We Do About It? PROSECUTE FULLY
Elder Sexual Assault • How Can We Best Prepare, or Front-Load, A Case to Ensure JUSTICE? • Types of Cases • Problems • Jury Selection • Common Defenses • Practical Approaches
Types of Cases Problems Perceptions of Elders Perceptions by Elders Physical Evidence Recollection Interviews Testimony Advocates Jury Selection Jury Instructions Common Defenses Practical Approaches Elder Sexual Assault
First Things First… • Know Yourself • Know Your Investigator(s) • Educate Yourself • Educate Your Investigators • NCEA – UC Irvine Program in Geriatrics • http://www.centeronelderabuse.org
Types of Cases • Burglary and Rape • Stranger Rape • Family Member Rape or Molest • Caretaker Rape • And, there are different Questions or Defenses on Each Type
Types of Cases – Burglary & Rape Burglary & Rape Often elderly woman living alone Home has been cased or scouted Often with theft or robbery Serial rapist? Question - Identification
Types of Cases – Burglary & Rape • Burglary And Rape, and more • Burglary • Rape • Sexual Assault • Penetration • Molest • Robbery • Assault • What Else?
Types of Cases – Burglary & Rape • Burglary and Rape • Crime Scene • Forensics – Bodily • DNA – Spit, semen, secretions, blood, hair • Oral sex, digital, penile penetration • Forensics - Location • Fingerprints • Footprints • Witnesses • = CORROBORATION
Types of Cases – Stranger Rape • Woman alone • Isolated • Convenient location • Serial Rapist? • Question - Identification
Types of Cases – Stranger Rape • Crime Scene • Forensics – Bodily • Forensics – Location • May be lost in multitude of others at scene • Witnesses • = CORROBORATION
Types of Cases – Family Member Rape • Adult Son • Invalid Victim • Prior History of sex offenses? • Learned behavior? • Question • Did it Happen? Was it Consensual? • = CORROBORATION
Types of Cases – Family Member Rape • Types of Charges • Rape • Assault • Molest • Penetration • What Else?
Types of Cases – Family Member Rape • Crime Scene • Forensics – Bodily • Forensics – Location – not too revelatory – Defendant should be there • Question – Did it happen? Was it consensual? • = CORROBORATION
Types of Cases – Caretaker Rape • At Home • In Facility • Forensics – Bodily • Forensics – Location • Question • Identity? Did It Really Happen? • = CORROBORATION
CORROBORATION What Is It? Where Do You Find It?
Old Wrinkled Smelly Cranky Forgetful Pushy Bathroom Breaks Bad Eyesight Bad Hearing Slow Moving Racial Bias What Else? Problems – Perceptions OF Elders
Violent Messy Forgetful Deaf Sexual Urges Bathroom breaks Child-Like Incompetent Make Believe Suggestible What Else? Problems – Preconceptions of Dependent Adults
Problems – Physical Evidence • Fondling • Digital Penetration • Foreign Objects • Oral Copulation • Penile/Oral – Victim on Perpetrator • Penile/Vaginal Intercourse
Problems – Physical Evidence • Oral/Vaginal – Perpetrator on Victim • Penile/Anal Intercourse • Foreign Object • Sodomy • Duress • Official Purpose / Abuse of Power / Medical Excuse
Perception By Elders • Condition of Victim • Hearing • Hearing Aids • Vision • Glasses • Night Blindness • Cross-Racial ID • Stroke Damage • Alzheimer’s Damage
Physical Evidence • Condition of Crime Scene • Public? • Private? • Secured? • Demonstrative Evidence • Photos • Floor plans • Re-Create for Victim and Jury
Recollection • Condition of Victim • Prior Medical Conditions • Documentation • Short Term Memory? • Long Term Memory? • Trauma From Event • Typical Victim Impact • Emotional Impact on Elders Specifically • Loss of Independence, Shortening of Life
Interviewing Victims • Who Do You Know? • Who Is … Suspect…? • How Do You Know Suspect? • How Long Have You Known Suspect? • ID Suspect? • What Happened with Suspect? • What Did You Want to Do with Suspect?
Interviewing Victims • Conditional Exams / Depositions / Special hearings / Preliminary Hearing / Preliminary Examination • CRAWFORD Requirements of Confrontation • Is Live Testimony Worth the Cost to the Victim? • VIDEO Recording?
Victim Advocates • Use Them as your Liaison and Hand-holder • Use Them… • Use Them… • Subpoena • Transportation • Medications, Food, bathroom, special needs • Support • Local and State Rules/Laws on Applicability / Rights of Advocates/Support
Victim Advocates • HIV Warrants & Testing • Victim Notification • CPOs – Criminal Protective Orders • Victim Confidentiality • Notification of Defendant/Prisoner Release
Testimony In Court • Victim Advocate / Support Person • Field Trips To Victim • ADA – Americans With Disabilities Act • Field Trips To Crime Scene • Patience Is KEY • Choice of Language • Clinical Terms • Polite Language
Testimony In Court • Appeal to the Jury • Appearance of elderly victim • Dressed for court • Oxygen tank • Breaks • Speaking Loudly • Polite • Emotional Display
Jury Selection • Language – Sex Acts • Be Polite with Jury • Be Crude with the Jury – see their reaction • Questionnaires • Written • Oral • Pointed and Open Questions
Jury Selection • Questions and Questionnaires • Dealings with elders • Dealings with dependent adults • Accommodate private answers • Advocacy groups, stance on issues • Right to say no to sex • Reactions in the face of fear, embarrassment, sexuality, sexuality of seniors
Jury Selection • Questions • TV viewing habits and reading materials • Law & Order Mystery Novels • CSI Newspaper • Forensic Files • Living with elderly family members • Ability to talk about sex with other Jurors • Biases and Prejudices
Victim Credibility • Contextualize for the Jury • Confirm the experience of the Victim • The Car Stereo Exercise
Jury Instructions • Direct & Circumstantial Evidence • Sufficiency of Victim’s Testimony • Weight of Testimony • Expert Opinions & Lay Opinions • Priors Acts • Consent • Elder Abuse
Common Defenses • Someone Else • Mistaken ID • Consensual Sex • Mistaken or Vindictive Victim • No Sex At All • Fabrication • Police Frame Up • Co-Defendant Frame Up
Elder Sexual Assault Cases • Know Yourself • Preparation is Key • Anticipate the Defenses • Educate your Investigators • Inoculate Your Jury • Elder Sexual Assault • The Jury Wants To Convict
Tristan D. SvareDeputy District Attorney San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office Family Violence Unit – Elder Abuse Prosecution tsvare@sbcda.org (909) 387-6533