P. v. Cruz CA4/3
Defendant Felix Cruz appeals from the judgment entered after a jury found him guilty of committing sodomy with a child under 10 years old, sexual penetration of a child under 10 years old, and a forcible lewd act upon a child under 14 years old. He contends the trial court erred by admitting evidence of statements that he made during a police interview because they were “improperly elicited through express or implied threats of punishment” and thus involuntarily made. He also argues the trial court erred by allowing one of the victims, a then eight-year-old boy who was reluctant to testify, to have a support person near him during his testimony. He further argues the judgment of conviction must be reversed due to the cumulative effect of the claimed trial court’s errors.
We affirm. Viewing Cruz’s statements during the police interview under the totality of the circumstances, we conclude they were made voluntarily.
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