Temporary exclusion of the general public from the courtroom has been a frequent practice during the testimony of the victim of a particularly revolting rape. State v. Purvis, 157 Conn. 198, 207, 251 A.2d 178 (1968), cert. denied, 395 U.S. 928, 89 S.Ct. 1788, 23 L.Ed.2d 246 (1969); State v. Gionfriddo, 154 Conn. 90, 93, 221 A.2d 851 (1966). "[A] demonstrated need to protect a witness from a substantial threat of indignity that might induce reluctance to testify about a lurid or heinous sexual assault" has been cited as a classic situation where closure would be appropriate.
There is clearly a long history of exclusion of the public from trials involving sexual assaults, particularly those against minors. See, e. g., Harris v. Stephens, 361 F.2d 888 (CA8 1966), cert. denied, 386 U.S. 964 (1967); Reagan v. United States, 202 F. 488 (CA9 1913); United States v. Geise, 158 F. Supp. 821 (Alaska), aff'd, 262 F.2d 151 (CA9 1958), cert. denied, 361 U.S. 842 (1959); Hogan v. State, 191 Ark. 437, 86 S.W.2d 931 (1935); State v. Purvis, 157 Conn. 198, 251 A.2d 178 (1968), cert. denied, 395 U.S. 928 (1969); Moore v. State, 151 Ga. 648, 108 S.E. 47 (1921), appeal dism'd, 260 U.S. 702 (1922). Several States have long-standing provisions allowing closure of cases involving sexual assaults against minors.
United States v. Kobli, 172 F.2d 919 (3d Cir. 1949); Tanksley v. United States, 10 Alaska 443, 145 F.2d 58 (1944); Davis v. United States, 247 F. 394 (8th Cir. 1917). In Harris v. Stephens, 361 F.2d 888, 891 (8th Cir. 1966), cert. denied, 386 U.S. 964, 87 S.Ct. 1040, 18 L.Ed.2d 113 (1967), the Eighth Circuit noted that exclusion of spectators during the testimony of an alleged rape victim "is a frequent and accepted practice when the lurid details of such a crime must be related by a young lady."See Douglas v. State, 328 So.2d 18 (Fla.), cert. denied, 429 U.S. 871, 97 S.Ct. 185, 50 L.Ed.2d 151 (1976); State v. Purvis, 157 Conn. 198, 251 A.2d 178 (1968), cert. denied, 395 U.S. 928, 89 S.Ct. 1788, 23 L.Ed.2d 246 (1969); Ex parte Rudolph, 276 Ala. 392, 162 So.2d 486, cert. denied, 377 U.S. 919, 84 S.Ct. 1185, 12 L.Ed.2d 188 (1964); Price v. State, 496 S.W.2d 103 (Tex.Cr.App. 1973). Primary justification for this practice lies in protection of the personal dignity of the complaining witness.
However, even in these situations, a court should not automatically assume that the witness is always entitled to testify removed from public scrutiny.See, e.g., Hogan v. State, 191 Ark. 437, 86 S.W.2d 931 (1935); People v. Byrnes, 84 Cal.App.2d 72, 190 P.2d 290, cert. denied, 335 U.S. 847, 69 S.Ct. 60, 93 L.Ed. 397 (1948); State v. Purvis, 157 Conn. 198, 251 A.2d 178, cert. denied, 395 U.S. 928, 89 S.Ct. 1788, 23 L.Ed.2d 246 (1969); Moore v. State, 151 Ga. 648, 108 S.E. 47 (1921), writ of error dismissed, 260 U.S. 702, 43 S.Ct. 98, 67 L.Ed. 471 (1922); Beauchamp v. Cahill, 297 Ky. 505, 180 S.W.2d 423 (1944); State v. Poindexter, 231 La. 630, 92 So.2d 390 (1957); State v. Callahan, 100 Minn. 63, 110 N.W. 342 (1907); Riley v. State, 83 Nev. 282, 429 P.2d 59 (1967); State v. Damm, 62 S.D. 123, 252 N.W. 7 (1933), aff'd on rehearing, 64 S.D. 309, 266 N.W. 667 (1936). Cf. Harris v. Stephens, 361 F.2d 888, 891 (8 Cir. 1966), cert. denied, 386 U.S. 964, 87 S.Ct. 1040, 18 L.Ed.2d 113 (1967).
" State v. Kelley, 229 Conn. 557, 565-66, 643 A.2d 854 (1994). Although we have characterized the constancy of accusation doctrine as an exception to the hearsay rule; see, e.g., State v. Rodgers, supra, 207 Conn. 649; State v. Pollitt, 205 Conn. 61, 76, 530 A.2d 155 (1987); State v. Dabkowski, supra, 199 Conn. 197; State v. Ouellette, 190 Conn. 84, 92, 459 A.2d 1005 (1983); State v. Hamer, 188 Conn. 562, 565, 452 A.2d 313 (1982); State v. Gelinas, 160 Conn. 366, 367, 279 A.2d 552 (1971); State v. Purvis, 157 Conn. 198, 207, 251 A.2d 178 (1968), cert. denied, 395 U.S. 928, 89 S.Ct. 1788, 23 L.Ed.2d 246 (1969); we have also noted that "`[c]onstancy evidence is properly viewed as a peculiar species of evidence [not readily conformed] . . . to evidentiary rules designed for other classes of evidence . . . .'" State v. Kelley, supra, 229 Conn. 566, quoting State v. Parris, 219 Conn. 283, 292, 592 A.2d 943 (1991); see also State v. Bethea, 24 Conn. App. 13, 19, 585 A.2d 1235, cert. denied, 218 Conn. 901, 588 A.2d 1076 (1991) (constancy of accusation doctrine is "hybrid rule of law"). Because constancy of accusation testimony is admissible only to assist the jury in evaluating the credibility of the alleged victim and not to prove the truth of the facts recited, the doctrine, strictly speaking, is not a hearsay exception.
State v. Segerberg, 131 Conn. 546, 549, 41 A.2d 101 (1945). See State v. Greene, 161 Conn. 291, 294, 287 A.2d 386 (1971); State v. Gelinas, 160 Conn. 366, 367, 279 A.2d 552 (1971); State v. Purvis, 157 Conn. 198, 207, 251 A.2d 178 (1968), cert. denied, 395 U.S. 928, 89 S.Ct. 1788, 23 L.Ed.2d 246 (1969); State v. Dziob, 133 Conn. 167, 169, 48 A.2d 377 (1946); State v. Orlando, 115 Conn. 672, 677, 163 A. 256 (1932); State v. Sebastian, 81 Conn. 1, 5, 69 A. 1054 (1908); State v. Byrne, 47 Conn. 465, 466 (1880); State v. Kinney, 44 Conn. 153, 155-57 (1876); State v. De Wolf, 8 Conn. 93, 99(1830). 'Such testimony is admitted . . . when the complainant first has testified, in court, to the facts of the alleged occurrence, in order to corroborate her testimony.
' State v. Segerberg, 131 Conn. 546, 549, 41 A.2d 101 (1945). See State v. Greene, 161 Conn. 291, 294, 287 A.2d 386 (1971); State v. Gelinas, 160 Conn. 366, 367, 279 A.2d 552 (1971); State v. Purvis, 157 Conn. 198, 207, 251 A.2d 178 (1968), cert. denied, 395 U.S. 928, 89 S.Ct. 1788, 23 L.Ed.2d 246 (1969); State v. Dziob, 133 Conn. 167, 169, 48 A.2d 377 (1946); State v. Orlando, 115 Conn. 672, 677, 163 A. 256 (1932); State v. Sebastian, 81 Conn. 1, 5, 69 A. 1054 (1908); State v. Byrne, 47 Conn. 465, 466 (1880); State v. Kinney, 44 Conn. 153, 155-57 (1876); State v. De Wolf 8 Conn. 93, 99 (1830). `Such testimony is admitted . . . when the complainant first has testified, in court, to the facts of the alleged occurrence, in order to corroborate her testimony.
The other permitted her sister-in-law to testify that the complaining witness had shown her the marks on her neck and told her about the fight with the defendant, that he was the father of her child and that they had frequent sexual relations. We find no error in the rulings of the court, predicated on such cases as State v. Purvis, 157 Conn. 198, 207, 251 A.2d 178, cert. denied, 395 U.S. 928, 89 S.Ct. 1788, 23 L.Ed.2d 246; State v. Dziob, 133 Conn. 167, 169, 48 A.2d 377; State v. Sebastian, 81 Conn. 1, 3, 69 A. 1054; State v. Byrne, 47 Conn. 465, 466; State v. Kinney, 44 Conn. 153, 155; State v. De Wolf 8 Conn. 93; see also 1 Wharton, Criminal Evidence (12th Ed.), p. 547 and 1971 Cum. Sup., pp. 133, 134; 1 Wharton, op. cit. 295; note, 77 A.L.R.2d 841, 852." State v. Greene, supra, 294-95.
State v. Kinney, supra, 156. In State v. Purvis, 157 Conn. 198, 207-208, 251 A.2d 178 (1968), cert. denied, 395 U.S. 928, 89 S.Ct. 1788, 23 L.Ed.2d 246 (1969), which concerned our review of convictions of rape and kidnapping, we sustained the trial court's ruling admitting into evidence the testimony of a detective and a police woman, who, after the victim had first testified to the details of the rape, were permitted to testify as to what she had related to them about the incident. State v. Purvis, supra, 207.
State v. Segerberg, 131 Conn. 546, 549, 41 A.2d 101 (1945). See State v. Greene, 161 Conn. 291, 294, 287 A.2d 386 (1971); State v. Gelinas, 160 Conn. 366, 367, 279 A.2d 552 (1971); State v. Purvis, 157 Conn. 198, 207, 251 A.2d 178 (1968), cert. denied, 395 U.S. 928, 89 S.Ct. 1788, 23 L.Ed.2d 246 (1969); State v. Dziob, 133 Conn. 167, 169, 48 A.2d 377 (1946); State v. Orlando, 115 Conn. 672, 677, 163 A. 256 (1932); State v. Sebastian, 81 Conn. 1, 5, 69 A. 1054 (1908); State v. Byrne, 47 Conn. 465, 466 (1880); State v. Kinney, 44 Conn. 153, 155-57 (1876); State v. De Wolf, 8 Conn. 93, 99 (1830). "Such testimony is admitted . . . when the complainant first has testified, in court, to the facts of the alleged occurrence, in order to corroborate her testimony.