Judge rules girl competent to testify

BENTONVILLE — A 6-year-old kindergartner is competent to testify at the trial of her accused abuser, according to a ruling Friday from Benton County Circuit Judge Brad Karren.

Karren held a competency hearing to determine whether the girl is capable of testifying at Jorge Alcon’s trial.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday afternoon.

Alcon, 71, of Bentonville is charged with sexual assault, a felony punishable with a prison sentence ranging from five to 20 years. He pleaded not guilty and is free on $75,000 bond.

Alcon worked for the Arkansas Department of Human Services as a program assistant and provided transportation and supervision for the girl’s visitations.

He transported the then 4-year-old girl, who was in foster care, to visitations with family members. Alcon is accused of sexually assaulting her while taking her on those visits.

Alcon’s attorneys filed a motion questioning whether the girl is competent to testify.

The kindergartner testified at Friday’s hearing.

Carrie Dobbs, deputy prosecutor, showed the girl a photograph of a pig with one child saying it was a fish and the other saying it was a pig. Dobbs wanted to know which was the truth. The girl picked the pig.

Dobbs went through several similar examples and each time the girl correctly identified the truth and the lie.

The girl testified she remembered Alcon and he took her to visits to see her mother and sister. The girl said Alcon on different occasions had her touch him inappropriately in the stall of restrooms.

“Do you understand when you come into this courtroom you have to tell the truth?” Dobbs asked the girl.

She responded she understood.

Valerie Goudie, one of Alcon’s attorneys, also questioned the girl. After Goudie asked the child what happened to her if she did not tell the truth, the girl said her parents would send her to her room.

Alcon