State of Arkansas v. Roy Nichols, Jr.

Summary

The court held that the circuit court abused its discretion by allowing Nichols to introduce and ask about an alleged consensual sexual encounter with the victim weeks before the charged rape. The evidence was uncorroborated, only marginally probative, disconnected from the charged event, and highly prejudicial under the rape-shield statute. The court also held that excluding the proposed questioning did not violate the Confrontation Clause because Nichols had other means to challenge the victim's credibility. The court reversed and remanded; no separate opinions were filed.