Critchfield guilty on two counts

COEUR d'ALENE - Robert Del Critchfield was convicted on Thursday of child molestation for fondling two girls more than two years ago at his former home in Coeur d'Alene Place.

The verdict in the case was read in a packed Kootenai County courtroom, filled with parents and relatives of nine girls who testified to being fondled by Critchfield in 2007 and 2008. The other half of those in the courtroom were family and supporters of Critchfield, 35, who's currently living in Post Falls.

The District Court jury found him guilty of one felony count of sexual abuse of a child, and one count of felony lewd conduct with a minor, the more serious of the two counts.

"I'm very satisfied," said Deputy Prosecutor Marty Raap. "These are tough cases."

He said Critchfield will now have to register as a sex offender.

Critchfield wasn't available for comment after the verdict.

There were nine counts the jury considered, one for each of the girls - who ranged in age from about 9 to 12.

The jury found Critchfield not guilty on four other felony counts of sexual abuse of a child, and jurors were unable to make a decision on two other counts of sexual abuse and one other count of lewd conduct with a minor.

Raap said he hasn't made a decision yet on a possible re-trial on the three counts the jury deadlocked on.

Critchfield's defense attorney, James Siebe, said, "Bob's devastated. His family is devastated. This is a social death sentence."

Siebe said, "I don't remember a case like this where there were so many people that remained in a guy's corner."

He said the "deck was stacked" against his client with nine girls making allegations.

He said the defense case was damaged because he wasn't allowed to have a psychologist who's an expert in interviewing sexual abuse victims testify. The expert would have testified that he considered the police investigation "flawed," Siebe said.

He said police shared information with the girls in the interviews, asked leading questions, allowed parents to sit in on the interviews and "fill in the blanks," and characterized Critchfield as a "bad guy."

A 40-year-old father of one of the girls, who lives in Coeur d'Alene, said, "The jury did well today. Everyone is happy with what we got. It's pretty much going to mark (Critchfield) for life."

The Press doesn't identify victims or alleged victims in sexual abuse cases.

A 36-year-old mother of one of the girls, from Coeur d'Alene, said, "We're all very happy."

She said she was nervous and scared for the girls as she sat waiting for the jury's decision.

She said she was proud of the girls for testifying.

"It took a lot for them to come forward and do this," she said.

Critchfield is out on bond until sentencing by First Judicial District Judge Fred Gibler. A pre-sentence investigation report will be completed by Idaho corrections officials and submitted to Gibler. A sentencing date has not been set.

The lewd conduct charge he was convicted on carries a possible sentence of up to life in prison, and the sexual abuse count carries a sentence of up to 25 years.

A friend of Critchfield's, who declined to give his name following the verdict, echoed concerns raised by Siebe about the police interview process.

He also complained that the defense's sexual abuse interview expert wasn't allowed to testify.

The expert reviewed the transcripts of the police interviews with the girls and he was expected to testify about what he found, but First Judicial District Court Judge Charles Hosack ruled he couldn't testify.

"There's no way that wouldn't be relevant testimony," he said.

The friend said he planned to tell Critchfield to "stay strong."

He added, "Justice was not done here today."

Siebe said he will move for a new trial. He said he was forced by the court to call his client to the stand earlier than he wanted to during the course of the trial because of Hosack's concerns about time management.

Siebe said he's confident a judge will overturn one of the counts Critchfield was convicted on because of what Siebe considers to be a charging error by the prosecution.