Missouri Supreme Court Rules on Child Sex Abuse Evidence

The Missouri Supreme Court says a recent constitutional amendment allows prosecutors to present more evidence in child sex abuse cases, regardless of when the alleged abuse occurred.

Supreme Court judges on Tuesday ruled past criminal allegations can be used in child sex abuse cases from December 2014 forward.

That's when a constitutional amendment to allow that took effect.

A Missouri man accused of a child sex crime in 2013 said allegations of past crimes shouldn't be used in his case. He argued the amendment shouldn't apply retroactively.

But Supreme Court judges said the constitutional change deals with trials and their timing, not when alleged abuse occurred.

Judges in their 6-0 ruling didn't weigh in on how the plaintiff Kendrick Tipler's criminal trial should be handled.