The People v. Rendon CA4/3

INTRODUCTION

Defendant Raymond Rendon was convicted of 12 counts of lewd conduct on a child under 14 years of age, which were committed against his daughter and two stepsons when each was between six and 12 years of age. On appeal, defendant raises two arguments. We reject both, and therefore affirm the judgment. First, defendant argues the prosecutor committed misconduct during closing argument by vouching for the veracity of the victims. Having reviewed the record, we conclude the prosecutor’s argument was based on the facts in the record and the inferences reasonably drawn from those facts, and was therefore proper. Second, defendant argues the trial court erred by admitting the testimony of an expert witness on the topic of child sexual abuse accommodation syndrome (CSAAS). Defendant’s argument that CSAAS evidence should be excluded in all cases has been rejected by the California Supreme Court, and defendant makes no other argument that the CSAAS evidence, as offered in this case, violated his right to a fair trial.

STATEMENT OF FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Defendant is the biological father of K., now 20 years old, and the stepfather of C. and T., now 17 and 14 years old,…