Sentence upheld in child-sex case | Defense argued over access to prosecution's notes

TEXARKANA, Ark. -The Arkansas Court of Appeals affirmed Wednesday the conviction and 30-year-sentence of a man found guilty of child sex abuse by a Miller County jury in 2018.

Jared Allen Harper, 38, was convicted in April 2018 of rape, second-degree sexual assault and sexual indecency with a child. The jury sentenced Harper to 30 years for rape, 10 years for sexual assault and six years for indecency. Circuit Judge Brent Haltom ordered the terms to run concurrently. Harper must serve 70 percent of his sentence before becoming parole eligible.

Harper's case first went to trial in 2017. When the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict, Haltom declared a mistrial and the case was placed back on the trial docket and the case was tried a second time in April 2018.

Before the trial started, the victim recanted her allegations against Harper several times to people in authority. She later confirmed the allegations in a meeting with prosecutors.

The victim testified that she recanted because she feared the state might place her and her siblings in state care as a result of the allegations against Harper and that she feared her family could not make it without Harper's financial support.

The defense argued that they should be given access to notes the prosecutor took during a two-hour interview with the victim. The state argued that the notes are attorney work product and not subject to disclosure.

Following the trial, the defense pursued the argument about reviewing the prosecutor's notes. Haltom reviewed the notes and determined they included no new information which would have benefited the defense.

The appellate court reviewed the notes, considered Harper's argument on appeal and concluded that the conviction and sentence should stand.

"It's been a very long process for the victim and her family and I am grateful that Jared Harper's conviction was not only affirmed, but that there is final closure to this process," Prosecuting Attorney Stephanie Potter Barrett said.

Harper is currently being held at the Tucker Unit of the Arkansas Department of Correction in Tucker, Ark. His parole eligibility date is April 2, 2039. Being eligible for parole is not a guarantee parole will be granted.

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