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Rodne bill that would help
protect child witnesses passes
A bill sponsored by
Rep. Jay Rodne,
R-Snoqualmie, that would that would allow children who are testifying in
a criminal trial to do so via closed-circuit television and outside the
presence of defendants passed the state Senate today.
If the state House concurs
with the slight changes to House Bill 1837, as it is expected to, the
measure will be sent to the governor to sign.
House Bill 1837 would
allow a prosecuting attorney to ask for alternative arrangements for
testimony of a child witness under the age of ten. That child witness
does not necessarily have to be an alleged victim in the trial. A
closed-circuit video feed would be sent simultaneously into a room that
included the judge, jury and defendant.
“Children who testify in front of defendants sometimes suffer serious
emotional or mental distress that prevents them from communicating
effectively,” said Rodne. “Children need to feel safe when they testify
and our justice system needs to ensure that such testimony is reliable.
This bill achieves that objective.
“I introduced this bill
last year and I’m proud to see it pass this year,” said Rodne. “This is
common sense legislation that strikes the balance between safe-guarding
child witnesses while protecting a defendant’s Sixth Amendment rights.”
Amendment VI says: In
all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy
and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein
the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been
previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and
cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against
him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor,
and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.
The 2005 Legislature began
on Jan. 10 and is scheduled to run 105 days.
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For more information, contact:
John
Handy, Assistant Director: (360) 786-5758
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