Court Orders New Trial In Child Rape Case

An appellate court has ordered a new trial for a former Wenatchee woman convicted of 23 felony sex charges against children.

The state Court of Appeals’ Spokane division ruled that Connie Jean Cunningham was denied her constitutional right to confront her accusers when a confession by her husband, who was also convicted of sex crimes, was admitted at her trial.

Connie Cunningham, 45, was convicted by a Chelan County jury in September 1994 of complicity to child rape, child molestation and other sex charges involving three girls.

The case was not linked to the Wenatchee-area sex ring cases in which 28 people were charged in 1994 and 1995 with child rape or molestation.

Cunningham was sentenced to 46-1/2 years in prison, more than twice the standard range for her crimes. She has served more than two of those years.

Her husband, Henry Cunningham, pleaded guilty to similar charges and was sentenced to the same amount of time. Henry Cunningham unsuccessfully appealed his sentence.

At Connie Cunningham’s trial, a deputy prosecutor entered Henry Cunningham’s confession as evidence against his wife. However, Henry Cunningham was not himself called as a witness, and Connie. Cunningham was not allowed to confront her husband about the confession.