ROBERTO A. LANGE, District Judge.
On March 21, 2018, the Court held a pretrial conference and motion hearing. For the reasons explained during the pretrial conference and motion hearing, it is
ORDERED that the Government's Motions in Limine, Doc. 41, are granted to the extent that there be no reference by either side during voir dire, opening statements, witness testimony or closing argument—unless the Court rules differently after being approached outside the jury's hearing—of the penalty or punishment of Defendant if convicted, of any opinions of guilt or innocence of Defendant, of hearsay statements of Defendant offered by the Defendant to prove the truth of the matters asserted, or of matters and arguments that Defendant should have raised under Rule 12(b)(3) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. It is further
ORDERED that Special Agent Dan Orr may sit at the prosecution table, that the defense investigator may be present in the courtroom during trial, and that the alleged victim may be present in the courtroom during voir dire, opening statements, and after she has testified and been cross-examined, though this Court holds open and will entertain arguments from the Defendant as to why she should be excluded from the courtroom prior to her testimony, and that all other witnesses are sequestered until released from subpoena. It is further
ORDERED that the Defendant's Motions in Limine, Doc.44, are granted to the extent that there be no reference by either side during voir dire, opening statements, witness testimony or closing argument—unless the Court rules differently after being approached outside the jury's hearing—of the Defendant's incarceration or recent release from incarceration, of any alleged gang affiliation of Defendant, ofany claim Defendant suffered from schizophrenia, or ofany opinion of his own mother or any other witness that the Defendant's denial of the alleged offense in this case is untruthful. It is further
ORDERED that the Government's Supplemental Motions in Limine, Doc. 129, are granted to the extent that there be no reference during voir dire, opening statements, witness testimony or closing argument—unless the Court rules differently after being approached outside the jury's hearing—of reference to the Defendant's mental health. Further, counsel will refrain from any mention of the victim's possible depression and bipolar disorder during voir dire, opening statements, and witness testimony until this Court conducts a hearing outside of the hearing of the jury with the Defendant's proposed expert witness, Dewey Ertz, Ed.D., regarding his opinions on the effects of mental health conditions on an individual's ability to perceive and recall events. It is further
ORDERED that no introduction of the alleged victim's diary or excerpts be made into evidence, but that general questions regarding whether the alleged victim's diary entries precede events at issue or were contemporaneous with events at issue will be allowed. It is further
ORDERED that the Defendant's Motions in Limine to preclude introduction of certain evidence proposed by the Government, Docs. 42, 120, 121, are granted to the extent that statements made by the victim to FBI Special Agent Dan Orr and Cass County Sheriffs Deputy Chad Thompson cannot be offered for the truth of the matters asserted under the residual hearsay claim. Further, the prior alleged inappropriate sexual comments or texts or behavior by the Defendant toward N.B., N.A., and E.A. are inadmissible because such evidence does not establish the Defendant's motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, absence of mistake, or lack of accident regarding the alleged offense for which Defendant is on trial pursuant to Fed. R. Evid. 404(b), and because these incidents represent "meaningfully different offense[s]" which "do not establish a pattern of behavior" necessary for admission as prior sexual acts under Fed. R. Evid. 413.
ORDERED that Defendant's conviction of a misdemeanor only arising out of the alleged prior sexual assault of J.L. may be introduced by Defendant, which in turn opens the door to the explanation that the Defendant was not prosecuted for the alleged sexual assault because J.L. left the area to serve in the military. It is further
ORDERED that the Defendant's motion to exclude the testimony of the Government's proposed expert witness, Brandi Tonkel, on the grounds that her testimony on child abuse is not properly subject to expert testimony and that her testimony constitutes impermissible vouching for the victim on the part of the Government, Doc. 93, is denied. Eighth Circuit precedent makes clear that qualified experts may inform a jtiry of characteristics in sexually abused children in child sex abuse cases.
ORDERED that the Defendant's motion to exclude the testimony of the Government's proposed expert witness. Dr. Nancy Free, on the same grounds as those put forward against Brandi Tonkel, Doc. 121; Doc. 125, is denied for the reasons explained above. It is further
ORDERED that the Government produce and provide to the Defendant a more adequate notice of the nature of Dr. Nancy Free's opinions regarding the absence of any physical injury of the victim and any rebuttal testimony she may provide with respect to the impact of bipolar disorder on an individual's ability to perceive and recall events.