Faulkner v. State (Majority)
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John Faulkner was convicted of rape, introduction of a controlled substance into the body of another, and tampering. After injecting the victim with ketamine, Faulkner had non-consensual sex with her and later tried to persuade her to recant her police statement. Faulkner appealed the convictions, arguing that the evidence was insufficient for the tampering conviction, and challenging two evidentiary rulings. The Supreme Court of Arkansas affirmed the lower court's decision.
The court found that there was substantial evidence to support the tampering conviction. It held that Faulkner's attempts to have the victim recant her statement to the police were inducements to lie.
The court also affirmed the rulings on the evidentiary issues. Faulkner had wanted to introduce evidence of prior sexual relations with the victim to argue that their relationship was consensual. The court held that this evidence was irrelevant because the charge was rape of a physically helpless victim.
Furthermore, Faulkner wanted to introduce evidence that he and the victim obtained a marriage license. The court found that this evidence would confuse the jury and was irrelevant, given that the victim's consent was not at issue.
The court rejected Faulkner's additional arguments not ruled on below, holding that they had been waived as they were not raised or ruled on in the lower court.
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