Pattern Cross-Examination Questions for Sexual Assault Cases: A Trial Strategy & Resource Guide

In sexual assault trials, many prosecution witnesses see themselves as advocates and members of the prosecution team. Some witnesses will do whatever is necessary to win and send the defendant to prison. This may include lying, exaggerating, and misstating facts. Pattern Cross-Examination Questions for Sexual-Assault Cases was written for criminal defense lawyers on the front lines in the war on sexual assault. It contains pattern questions that can be used to dominate prosecution witnesses and level the playing field at trial.

This book is designed to give defense counsel cross-examination questions that can be easily modified and used in various sexual assault cases. Additionally, this book will help defense lawyers cross-examine challenging witnesses without reinventing the wheel with each new case. It contains thousands of questions to effectively cross-examine a variety of witnesses, including the alleged victim, crime scene investigators, sexual assault forensic examiners, hostile witnesses, and more. The cross-examination book covers various sample topics, including selective memory, victim injury, motive to lie, false allegations, false confessions, proper evidence handling, and more. Many of the questions are based on medical and law enforcement textbooks and training manuals used throughout the United States.

The cross-examination techniques and cross-examination sample questions provided serve as a starting point. Because every case is different, the cross-examiner should modify the questions based on the facts of their case. This Trial Guide is not a textbook on theories of cross-examination. Rather, it provides sample questions based on fact patterns commonly encountered in sexual assault cases.

• Alleged victims
• First responders;
• Sex Assault Forensic Examiners (SAFE) / Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE);
• Law enforcement;
• Forensic lab staff;
• Evidence custodians;
• Experts in child abuse, assault, and sex crimes.

CHAPTER 1: Dealing With Hostile Witnesses

CHAPTER 2: Cross-Examining the Alleged Victim

CHAPTER 3: Cross-Examining the Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner

CHAPTER 4: Commonly Used Sexual Assault Examiner Terms

CHAPTER 5: Cross-Examining Witnesses Regarding Forensic Evidence

CHAPTER 6: Cross-Examining Law Enforcement

CHAPTER 7: Cross-Examining Bystanders/Friends