and made his getaway. The two witnesses then called in the description of defendant's van to the police.
Within minutes the defendant's van was stopped by two cruising police cars. Both defendant and his wife (who drove the van) were arrested and taken into custody. The arresting officers conducted a warrantless search of the van. A handgun and holster were found and were subsequently introduced at trial as evidence against defendant.
I. Hearsay Evidence.
During trial the State relied on the testimony of certain eyewitnesses to the altercation, the arresting police officers' testimony, and hearsay evidence that the victim allegedly gave to her mother and others immediately after the assault. The victim herself did not testify. Defendant claims he was denied a fair trial because he was not given an opportunityto cross-examine the victim. He claims this denied him the opportunity to confront the witnesses against him, a right guaranteed by the Iowa Constitution, article I, section 10, and by the sixth amendment to the United States Constitution.
Specifically, defendant objects to the following hearsay testimony from the victim's mother:
[My daughter, the victim] said she thought he had a gun or a knife in a holster under his arm. As she struggled with him and pushed him back out of the car, she felt the weapon and this is why she struggled so hard.
This was the only direct evidence defendant had a gun at the time of the assault. No one else said defendant was armed at that time. Defendant himself explained his possession of the weapon while he