State v. Spinks

808 S.E.2d 350, 256 N.C. App. 596
CourtCourt of Appeals of North Carolina
DecidedNovember 21, 2017
DocketCOA17-413
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 808 S.E.2d 350 (State v. Spinks) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of North Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Spinks, 808 S.E.2d 350, 256 N.C. App. 596 (N.C. Ct. App. 2017).

Opinions

TYSON, Judge.

*597Daris Lamont Spinks ("Defendant") appeals from judgments entered upon jury verdicts convicting him of two counts of statutory sexual offense, one count of statutory rape, and two counts of indecent liberties. We find no error in Defendant's convictions. We dismiss Defendant's appeal of the trial court's order on lifetime satellite based monitoring ("SBM") without prejudice.

I. Factual Background

A. State's Evidence

The State's evidence tended to show the victim ("Amy") and Defendant knew each other through Amy's older sister, Alexis, for a period of about five years. When Amy's sister had her own apartment, Amy would visit and Defendant would bring his 10-year old daughter over. Amy testified at one of these visits Defendant attempted to pull her pants down and put his lips to her bottom to make a noise.

Amy testified Defendant and her sister had a baby daughter together. She testified Defendant, Alexis and their baby daughter stayed at Amy's house twice in December 2014. Amy was 13 years old at this time. Around 1:00 a.m. on the first night, Defendant entered Amy's room and threatened to harm her if she said anything. Defendant pulled down her pants and touched her buttocks, stomach, and breasts. Defendant then engaged in *598vaginal intercourse with Amy. Amy pushed him away. Defendant then performed cunnilingus upon her. Amy told him to stop, but he continued. Defendant told Amy if she told anyone, his child would be taken away, and he would hurt Amy or have someone else hurt her.

The next time Defendant stayed at Amy's house in December 2014, Amy set up a computer tablet in her room to record any other incidents which may occur. Defendant entered Amy's room during the night and threatened to hurt her. Defendant again engaged in vaginal intercourse with and performed cunnilingus on Amy. He left Amy's room when his child began to cry in another room. Amy told Defendant the following morning that she had recorded him. Defendant repeated to Amy that his child would be taken away if she told anyone. He told Amy he would kill her.

Several days later, Defendant gave Amy a new pair of Nike shoes. Defendant told her the shoes were provided for her to "shut up" and to delete the video. Amy deleted the video, while in front of Defendant, and accepted the shoes.

Amy told Defendant sometime in mid-January she was going to report the incidents. Soon thereafter, a rock was thrown through her window in the middle of the night. Defendant came to Amy's house the following day to look at the window. While Defendant was *353in the home, Amy told him she was going to tell someone about his assaults. Amy testified Defendant told her he was going to kill her.

A few days later, Amy told her mother that Defendant had sexually assaulted her in December. Amy, her mother, and brother went to the police department two days later to report the sexual assaults.

Dr. Stacy Thomas testified she had practiced as a pediatrician for over ten years. Dr. Thomas estimated she has examined over 500 child victims of alleged sexual abuse. Dr. Thomas was qualified as an expert witness in pediatrics, especially the evaluation and treatment of physically and sexually abused children. She was admitted to testify as an expert witness without Defendant's objection.

Dr. Thomas testified she physically examined Amy on 16 March 2015. Prior to the examination, Dr. Thomas was briefed about the contents of an interview of Amy by Greensboro Police Detective Hines. Detective Hines told Dr. Thomas that Amy had disclosed one act of cunnilingus and one act of vaginal intercourse by Defendant. Dr. Thomas testified Amy exhibited symptoms "consistent with depression and anxiety." Amy's physical examination revealed she was in good physical health, and her external genital and anal exams were normal. During Amy's exam, Amy became hysterical, cried and shook.

*599Dr. Thomas compiled her findings into a report after completing her examination of Amy. This report was admitted into evidence without Defendant's objection.

The State offered the testimony of child witness ("Katy") over Defendant's Rule 404(b) and Rule 403 objections. Katy testified she was six years old in 2011. Katy testified she went to her friend's birthday party, where Defendant and Defendant's daughter also attended. Katy testified the party included a sleep over. Katy testified Defendant opened the door to the bedroom during the night where she and her friend slept, but closed it after both girls woke up. Katy testified someone had later entered into the room and engaged in anal intercourse with her. Katy identified Defendant as the person who had sexually assaulted her. After the assault, Defendant told Katy to be quiet and he would give her a dollar. Katy testified the next morning Defendant gave her a dollar.

B. Defendant's Evidence

Keisha Oats, testified Defendant was her nephew. Ms. Oats testified Defendant, Alexis, their baby, and Alexis' sister, Amy, visited at her home on Christmas Eve 2014. Ms. Oats testified Defendant and the others left her home around 1:30 am.

Defendant testified when they left Ms. Oats home on Christmas Eve, he, Alexis, their baby and Amy went to Amy's mother's home, where he and Alexis had cooked and wrapped presents. Defendant denied performing any sexual acts upon Amy in December of 2014 and January of 2015, threatening Amy in December of 2014 and January of 2015, and going to Amy's home on New Year's Eve 2014 and giving Amy a pair of shoes.

Defendant testified he found out about Amy's allegations after the Super Bowl in February and Detective Hines had contacted him soon thereafter. Defendant met with Detective Hines and denied the allegations. Defendant also denied the allegations against him by Katy. Defendant admitted he had stayed overnight at Amy's home on Christmas Eve and on another night around Thanksgiving of 2014.

The jury returned verdicts finding Defendant guilty of two counts of statutory sexual offense of a person who was thirteen years old, one court of statutory rape of a person who was thirteen years old, and two counts of indecent liberties. The trial court sentenced him to two consecutive terms of 280 to 396 months in prison, and ordered lifetime sex offender registration and SBM. Defendant appeals.

*600II. Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction lies in this Court pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-27(b) (2015) and N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-1444 (2015).

III. Issues

Defendant asserts three issues on appeal: (1) testimony from Katy concerning a previous alleged assault was improperly admitted under Rule 404(b) and unfairly prejudicial to *354him under Rule 403; (2) the trial court committed plain error by admitting Dr.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
808 S.E.2d 350, 256 N.C. App. 596, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-spinks-ncctapp-2017.