Court examines victim testimony in Slager pretrial

El Dorado Sheriff's Office Sgt. Brian Harris was the sole witness brought to testify in the pretrial. Other witnesses were excluded from proceedings, with prosecutors expecting the case would be brought to trial and wanting to minimize the number of times victims would be called on to recount alleged traumatizing events. 

Harris testified an EDSO patrol took the initial report from a resident of the neighborhood where Slager lived. The report was made by the parent of a child who was close friends with one of the alleged victims; she was made aware of the situation when her daughter said she had been keeping a secret about her friend for more than a year. The victim, identified as J. Doe, was contacted by investigators shortly afterward and brought to the Fausel House Child Advocacy Center for a forensic interview conducted by a DA investigator; Harris observed the interview from a remote location.

Doe, who was 10 at the time of the investigation, took breaks during the interview and was initially hesitant to recount details to the investigator, saying she had "pinky promised to not tell." Living in what Harris described as a close-knit community, Doe said she would occasionally spend time in Slager's home to be babysat, watch television with her brother or watch Slager's son play video games. 

Doe recounted two instances of alleged molestation involving oral copulation and anal penetration; one occasion is said to have taken place prior to July 2020, while another took place after July 2020, according to Harris' testimony. At the time, Doe would have been 7 or 8 years old, Harris said. The July 2020 timing was considered notable by prosecutors; Harris explained in questioning that Slager's wife died that month.

During the interview Doe also drew a diagram of the layout of Slager's house from memory and mentioned specific elements of the house, which Harris said bore notable similarity to the residence's layout when seen by investigators. One detail described by Doe and found by investigators was a candy jar, which Doe said she was given candy out of after a sexual act had occurred, Smith said. 

Investigators determined Doe had confided in two friends; parents of those two friends were eventually the first to contact law enforcement regarding Slager. The second parent to reach out was related to Slager, J. Doe 2, who told investigators he had molested her when she was a child in the '90s but she had not reported it before as she believed the statute of limitations had passed.

Doe 2 described to investigators a number of events that she claimed occurred in Los Angeles County when she was 11 or 12 years old. In one case, she said Slager had lifted her onto her lap and rubbed her clothed groin against his genitals, which were exposed out the front of his pants. Harris recounted her claims on the stand, saying Doe 2 had heard him then say, "I can't be the one to do this to you" before he stopped the action and walked away. Harris additionally said during questioning thatDoe 2 claimed she had at one time been made to masturbate Slager.

During cross-examination by defense counsel, Harris confirmed one of Doe's friends said she lied a lot, but added, "But she wouldn't lie about something like this."

Slager will return to El Dorado Superior Court Department 2 at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 29 for an arraignment on the information. If he does not change his plea, a trial date will be scheduled at that time.

Slager's attorney attempted to revisit the option for bail for his client, but visiting Judge Thomas A. Smith declined to hear the matter, as he was unfamiliar with the prior discussions on the matter; the discussion is expected to be revisited during Slager's next court appearance. Slager has been in custody at the El Dorado County Jail in Placerville since his arrest.

Elements of the story have been adjusted after publication out of respect for the victims' privacy.