West Virginia Supreme Court Overturns Conviction in Fayette County Sexual Assault Case
FAYETTE COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – In a sharply divided decision, the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia has overturned the conviction of Chad M. Eldredge, who had been sentenced to 10 to 25 years in prison for second-degree sexual assault. The Court ruled that the trial judge committed prejudicial errors that undermined Eldredge’s right to a fair trial, and ordered a new trial in Fayette County Circuit Court.
Eldredge was convicted in 2022 of one count of sexual assault involving his stepdaughter, who accused him of abusing her over a five-year period beginning when she was 12 years old. He was acquitted of 14 other charges, including multiple counts of sexual abuse, incest, and child neglect.
Majority Opinion: Judge’s Conduct Undermined Fair Trial
Writing for the majority, Chief Justice Elizabeth D. Wooton concluded that the trial judge, Paul M. Blake Jr., improperly intervened during the defense’s case, questioning a key defense witness in a way that undermined her credibility before the jury. The witness in question was the alleged victim’s mother and Eldredge’s former wife, who testified in support of the defense.
The Court ruled that Judge Blake improperly asked the witness about pending fraud charges, which had not resulted in a conviction and were inadmissible under the West Virginia Rules of Evidence. The Court also found that the judge’s questioning about the witness giving sex toys to her daughter overstepped his role, expressing “moral condemnation” and casting doubt on her parental judgment.
“The questions clarified nothing and… expressed to the jury both ‘moral condemnation’ and suspicion,” Justice Wooton wrote. “These questions had the effect of making [the witness] appear unscrupulous or untrustworthy.”
The majority held that the cumulative effect of the judge’s conduct was to prejudice the jury against Eldredge by discrediting a critical defense witness, thus compromising the fairness of the trial.
Dissenting Opinion: Errors Did Not Affect Verdict
In a dissent joined by Justice Tim Armstead, Justice C. Haley Bunn strongly disagreed with the decision to overturn the conviction, arguing that while the judge’s questioning may have been improper, it did not rise to the level of reversible error.
“The questions were brief and, for the most part, echoed questions that had already been asked,” Bunn wrote. She emphasized that the jury acquitted Eldredge of the specific charges related to the sex toys and that his conviction was based on a separate incident for which there was direct testimony.
Bunn also noted that the jury appeared to have carefully considered the evidence, convicting on only one count and acquitting on the rest, including charges related to the very witness the majority claimed had been discredited.
“The not-guilty verdicts related to that episode also indicate that the jury believed [the witness] regarding the source of the vibrators,” Bunn stated.
What’s Next
The case will now return to Fayette County for a new trial. The decision underscores the high standards judges must uphold in maintaining impartiality and avoiding any appearance of bias in front of a jury.
