By Veronica Miller
WOODLAND, CA – The alleged victim in the child molestation trial of the accused was allowed to be in the courtroom Wednesday as final arguments were heard here in Yolo County Superior Court—the jury begins deliberations Thursday.
Before the jury entered the courtroom Wednesday, Deputy District Attorney Garrett Hamilton asked permission for the alleged victim to be present—she had not previously been able to attend the trial, and Judge Timothy Fall granted permission for her to hear final closing arguments.
Hamilton was the first to deliver his closing argument. He started his closing argument with the statement “[The accused] is a child molester.”
He told the jury in both his opening and closing statements that the accused is a child molester, and that defense counsel will try to argue that the accused committed the “good” type of molestation.
The DDA said there is no good type of molestation. Hamilton also argued that this abuse happened between a 12-year-old girl and a man that was supposed to be taking care of her.
He stated that some of the phrases that the accused said such as “it was like lovers making out…she was fully developed and I was lustful,” and “this wasn’t her first time kissing” are not phrases that should be used to describe the molestation of a young girl.
Deputy Public Defender James Bradford explained what beyond a reasonable doubt means in terms of this case, noting if jurors have any bit of doubt in some of the evidence that has been presented during the trial then they should not find the accused guilty.
Bradford argued the accused is not trying to deny that he had touched the victim. He stated that in the interrogation video they watched him admit to touching and kissing her. But the accused had not done more than that, and he had not done it the 28 times for which he is being charged.
Bradford argued the victim has had a lot of trauma in her life and this could influence what she claims, and why it isn’t, said Bradford, clear.
The PD said he wasn’t trying to discredit her testimony and what had happened but that jurors should try to look for things that did not make sense.
Bradford asked jurors to remember that they are there to push aside their emotions and make a rational decision about the evidence that they have been given.
The jury starts their deliberations Thursday morning.
