Lisa Rocchio

Dr. Lisa Rocchio testified for the government on Day 4 and was qualified as an expert in psychology with specialized expertise in traumatic stress and interpersonal violence. Her testimony was general rather than case-specific: she had not interviewed the case witnesses, did not know who they were, and had not received facts about the case.

Rocchio discussed grooming, attachment, coercive control, risk factors, and delayed disclosure. She described grooming as a contextual process that can involve access, trust-building, isolation, desensitization, and control, while cautioning that psychology has not identified grooming as a means of predicting future sexual abuse. She also explained that delayed disclosure may occur gradually and can be influenced by shame, fear, safety, and whether a person expects to be believed.

On cross-examination, the defense tested the limits of Rocchio's case knowledge and expert framework. She agreed that behaviors associated with grooming can also occur outside grooming and that a study discussed by the defense did not allow participants to predict grooming behavior reliably in advance. She maintained that grooming is assessed through an overall pattern and context rather than isolated acts such as gifts, attention, or kindness. The defense also questioned her about meetings with government lawyers and her compensation contract, which she said was for up to $45,000.