Williams v. State

The trial court properly admitted the child victims' hearsay statements without a finding that the evidence was sufficiently reliable, since the testimony concerned the same matters detailed in the victims' properly admitted and sufficiently reliable videotaped statements.

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On appeal from his convictions for child molestation and cruelty to children, Rodney Williams argues that the evidence was insufficient and that the trial court erred when it admitted similar transaction and child hearsay evidence. We find no error and affirm. “On appeal from a criminal conviction, we view the evidence in the light most favorable to the verdict, with the defendant no longer enjoying a presumption of innocence.” Reese v. State , 270 Ga. App. 522, 523 607 SE2d 165 2004. We neither weigh the evidence nor judge the credibility of witnesses, but determine only whether, after viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, a “rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt.” Jackson v. Virginia , 443 U. S. 307, 319 III B 99 SC 2781, 61 LE2d 560 1979.

So viewed, the record shows that the victims’ mother met Williams on a bus in March 2005 as she took her children from the shelter where the family was living to school registration. Williams assured the mother that he had previously helped parents with young children and nowhere to go. The mother let one and then two more of her daughters, all of whom were between seven and eleven years old, go home with Williams. On the third night of the sisters’ stay with him, Williams began sleeping in the first sister’s bed, pulling off her clothes, and having forcible intercourse with her. The second sister saw Williams on top of the first victim, and both sisters heard her crying during the attacks. Williams threatened to kill the girls or separate them forever if they told anyone. Williams disciplined the three sisters by forcing them to take their clothes off and whipping each of them with a belt, and beat, slapped or choked all three as well.

Williams v. State

The trial court properly admitted the child victims' hearsay statements without a finding that the evidence was sufficiently reliable, since the testimony concerned the same matters detailed in the victims' properly admitted and sufficiently reliable videotaped statements.

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