State v. Montgomery
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The Supreme Court reversed Defendant's conviction of sexual abuse of a child, his granddaughter, holding that the district court erred by excluding evidence that another person, a teenager who testified for the State, sexually abused the victim.
On appeal, Defendant argued (1) the Supreme Court should overrule State v. Pearson, 514 N.W.2d 452 (Iowa 1994), which would result in the reversal of his conviction; and (2) the district court erred in applying the "constitutional rights" exception to the rape shield law, Iowa R. Evid. 5.412(b)(1)(C). The Supreme Court reversed, holding (1) this Court declines to overrule Pearson; and (2) excluding Defendant's cross-examination of his granddaughter and the teenager about their relationship violated Defendant's rights under the Confrontation and Due Process Clauses and the constitutional rights exception to the rape shield law.
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