Devon Romick v. State of Arkansas

Summary

The court affirmed Romick’s rape conviction and life sentence, holding that the SANE nurse’s challenged testimony about the absence of physical findings and a 2009 study was permissible lay opinion under Rule 701. Romick failed to preserve objections to five of the six challenged statements, and the one preserved objection lacked merit because the testimony was rationally based on the nurse’s experience and observations and was helpful to the jury. The court alternatively held that any error would have been harmless because the testimony was cumulative and the evidence of guilt was overwhelming.