child molestation

May 22, 2026

State’s highest court affirms decision in child sexual assault case

The Missouri Supreme Court affirmed James Guthrie’s child rape conviction, ruling prosecutors presented sufficient evidence on victim age.

Dec 20, 2022

Supreme Court asked to fix ‘peculiarities’ of timing in criminal appeals

The Missouri Supreme Court has been asked to resolve “peculiarities” in the rules of criminal procedure that have left it uncertain if a man properly appealed his 135-year sentence for child molestation.

Apr 13, 2020

Criminal Law: Severance-Child Molestation

Where a defendant argued that a trial court erred when it refused to sever resisting-arrest and gun charges from child-molestation and statutory rape charges, the sex offense charges provided the […]

Mar 13, 2020

Criminal Law: Child Molestation-Sufficiency of Evidence

Defendant appealed from his conviction for burglary, child molestation and assault, challenging the sufficiency of evidence at trial. Where the homeowner had revoked defendant’s right to come and go from […]

Feb 18, 2020

Criminal Law: Child Molestation-Multiple Acts Instructions

Defendant appealed his conviction for first-degree child molestation. On appeal, defendant argued that the trial court erroneously rejected his double-jeopardy argument, erred in instructing the jury in that evidence was […]

Feb 12, 2020

Criminal Law: Child Molestation-Age of Child Victim

Defendant appealed from his convictions for various sexual abuse crimes against two victims. Defendant argued that the trial court erred in precluding evidence that the victims had been abused by […]

Feb 3, 2020

Criminal Law: Child Molestation-Ineffective Assistance of Counsel

Defendant pleaded guilty, in accordance with a plea agreement, to two counts of child molestation and was sentenced to two concurrent 10-year sentences. Defendant unsuccessfully filed a motion for post-conviction […]

Dec 30, 2019

Criminal Law: Child Molestation-Challenge to Sentence

Defendant appealed from his convictions for statutory sodomy, child molestation, sexual misconduct involving a child and victim-tampering. On appeal, defendant challenged the trial court’s orders relating to certain evidence pertaining […]

Nov 22, 2019

Criminal Law: Child Molestation-Out-Of-Court Testimony-491 Hearing

Where a defendant in a child-molestation case challenged the admission of the out-of-court testimony of an investigator, the trial court did not err in declaring the investigator unavailable and in […]

Sep 18, 2019

Criminal Law: Child Molestation-Witness Testimony-Propensity Evidence

Where a defendant in a child-molestation case challenged the admission of the testimony of a witness regarding prior incidents of uncharged child molestation that allegedly occurred decades earlier, the testimony […]

Jun 17, 2019

Criminal Law: Child Molestation-Closing Argument-Future Acts

Where a defendant in a child-molestation case argued that the trial court plainly erred in failing to declare a mistrial sua sponte after the prosecutor made a statement in closing […]

May 23, 2019

Criminal Law: Child Molestation-‘Ritual or Ceremony’-Multiple Abusers

Where a defendant challenged his conviction for class A first-degree child molestation, the defendant was convicted under Section 566.067, which specified that the molestation was part of a “ritual or […]