Paulene Evelyn Goldenstein

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Charge:	Child/Minor Sex Abuse (incl. molestation)
Sentence:	10 yrs
Years Imprisoned:	1.43
Year Crime:	1990
Year Convicted:	1992
Year Cleared:	1994
U.S. State or Country of Crime:	Minnesota
County or Region of Crime:	Hennepin
City of Crime:
Result:	Judicially Exonerated
Summary of Case:	"Paulene Evelyn Goldenstein and Ronald Siebelt Goldenstein were codefendants wrongly convicted in March 1992 of criminal sexual conduct in Hennepin County, Minnesota. The were prosecuted for allegedly sexually abused their three minor foster children -- a boy and two girls who were Native American siblings -- from May 1987 through May 1990. After their convictions in a joint trial by a jury, Ronald Goldenstein and Paulene Goldenstein were sentenced to 10 years in prison for first-degree criminal sexual conduct, and Ronald Goldenstein was given a stayed sentence of 21 months in prison for second-degree seuxal conduct. They appealed. On August 17, 1993 the Minnesota Court of Appeals reversed their convictions and ordered a new trial based on the trial judge's violation of their constitutional right to present a defense by excluding the favorable evidence of statements by the children that State caseworker Ronald Spolar engaged in sex with the oldest girl, and that he had also sexually abused the boy and youngest girl. The Goldenstein's were released on bond in August 1993 while awaiting a retrial, but in September 1994, the Hennepin County DA filed a miton to dismiss the charges which was granted."
Conviction Caused By:	Trial judge's prejudicial error of preventing the Goldenstein's from presenting evidence favorable to their defense.
Innocence Proved By:	"On August 17, 1993 the Minnesota Court of Appeals reversed their convictions and ordered a new trial based on the trial judge's violation of their constitutional right to present a defense by excluding the favorable evidence of statements by the children that State caseworker Ronald Spolar engaged in sex with the oldest girl, and that he had also sexually abused the boy and youngest girl. The Goldenstein's were released on bond in August 1993 while awaiting a retrial, but in September 1994, the Hennepin County DA filed a miton to dismiss the charges which was granted."
Defendant Aided By:
Compensation Awarded:
Was Perpetrator Identified?	Yes
Age When Imprisoned:	44
Age When Released:	45
Sex:	Female
Skin/Ethnicity:	White
Information Source 1:	"State v. Goldenstein, 505 N.W.2d 332 (Minn. Ct. of Appeals, 1993) (Reversing convictions and ordering a new trial.)"
Information Location 1:	http://law.justia.com/cases/minnesota/court-of-appeals/1993/c8-92-1273.html
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Paulene Evelyn Goldenstein

Charge:

Child/Minor Sex Abuse (incl. molestation)

Sentence:

10 yrs

Years Imprisoned:

1.43

Year Crime:

1990

Year Convicted:

1992

Year Cleared:

1994

U.S. State or Country of Crime:

Minnesota

County or Region of Crime:

Hennepin

City of Crime:

Result:

Judicially Exonerated

Summary of Case:

Conviction Caused By:

Trial judge's prejudicial error of preventing the Goldenstein's from presenting evidence favorable to their defense.

Innocence Proved By:

Defendant Aided By:

Compensation Awarded:

Was Perpetrator Identified?

Yes

Age When Imprisoned:

44

Age When Released:

45

Sex:

Female

Skin/Ethnicity:

White

Information Source 1:

"State v. Goldenstein, 505 N.W.2d 332 (Minn. Ct. of Appeals, 1993) (Reversing convictions and ordering a new trial.)"

Information Location 1:

http://law.justia.com/cases/minnesota/court-of-appeals/1993/c8-92-1273.html

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