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Criminal Law: Child Molestation-Admission of Uncharged Acts
Staff Report//April 16, 2026//
Defendant appealed his conviction for child molestation, arguing that the trial court erred in allowing the jury to hear a portion of the victim’s forensic interview where she discussed previous, uncharged alleged acts of sexual abuse that defendant had committed against her.
Where the admitted portion of the interview was relevant to show defendant’s sexual desire for the victim and thus his motive to commit the charged act, the probative value of the evidence outweighed any resulting prejudice.
Judgment is affirmed.
State v. Matlock (MLW No. 84627/Case No. SD38693 – 7 pages) (Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, Growcock, J.) Appealed from circuit court, Howell County, Ray, J. (Jedd Christian Schenider, Columbia and Thomas Robert Flack, St. Charles for appellant) (Abigail Madeline Meharg, Jefferson City and Michael P. Hutchings, West Plains for respondent)
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