Harris

was on a verdicts, of 15 assorted criminal offenses. His victims were five young boys, aged nine to thirteen. Each of the boys testified that Harris had induced or forced him to enter an automobile (three said it was a “white automobile”) which was then driven to a secluded building or other area where at knife point, or threat of shooting, Harris compelled him to submit to an act of sodomy. Each boy had promptly reported the incident, and each showed physical evidence of his victimization.

The crimes, and their modus operandi, received much newspaper publicity in the locality of their commission. A young man, Ron, who had thus been made aware of the crimes’ perpetration, testified over a hearsay objection at Harris’ trial to the following: “A. What I exactly saw was the Defendant here in a white—in a white Chevy, ‘67 model, and he was trying to encourage a little boy to get into his car. This is why I wrote down the license plate number. . . . Q. Did you hear the boy saying anything that made you think the Defendant was tiying to encourage the boy into the car? A. I did so. Q. And what did the boy say? A. He said, T don’t have to get in your car, Mister, to show you…