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Teenage victim of alleged sexual abuse to testify Tuesday afternoon

Pantagraph - 1/9/2018

Jan. 09--BLOOMINGTON -- A teenage girl will take the witness stand Tuesday afternoon to answer questions about her eight months as the victim of alleged sexual abuse by a Bloomington man.

Robert Wichmann"s bench trial was postponed this morning until a local hospital provided a portion of the girl's medical records to the state. Assistant State's Attorney Jacob Harlow brought the records to the courtroom at 11:45 a.m.

Wichmann's defense lawyer Jennifer Patton asked for a mistrial or a continuance Tuesday morning until Advocate BroMenn Medical Center provided notes taken by a nurse who cared for the alleged victim on June 1, 2016.

Judge Scott Drazewski ordered the state to contact the hospital and order the records delivered by 11 a.m.

The existence of the records came to light Saturday during trial preparation of a nurse by Harlow. The state was given some hospital records but not nursing notes, Harlow told the judge Monday.

The nurse testified Monday that the teenage girl gave inconsistent statements about the timing of the latest alleged abuse. Patton argued that the records are needed to determine what statements were made by the girl, who was allegedly molested over eight months.

Wichmann's bench trial opened Monday on four counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. Five other sexual abuse counts were dismissed.

The alleged victim's brother testified Monday that he had concerns about his sister's apparent relationship with Wichmann.

This story will be updated.

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