Brown

A jury found defendant guilty of 6 sexual offenses against his 12-year-old stepdaughter S. There is no need to enumerate the various counts or to describe the evidence in detail. Suffice it to say that two counts related to an episode in defendant’s car on or about January 1, 1969. The other four arose out of sexual activities at the family home in the afternoon of April 30, 1969, while defendant’s wife was at work away from home. S. fully described the offenses. Defendant denied all incidents. Such additional facts as are necessary will be stated in connection with our discussion of defendant’s various claims of error.

I.

Defendant claims that he was prejudiced by “lengthy, repetitive and undue” impeachment of witnesses favorable to the defense, namely defendant’s wife and his 10-year-old stepson D. In particular defendant claims error in repetitive questioning concerning statements they retracted when called as witnesses by the People.

The background to this claim is as follows: during the night of May 1, 1969, defendant and his wife had a discussion concerning his going out in the evening. During that discussion defendant made some statement about his relationship…