Bill Text: NY S00849 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Amended


Bill Title: Authorizes use of closed-circuit television for the testimony of domestic violence victim witnesses in a criminal proceeding subject to the same restrictions as are applicable to child witnesses.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2020-03-05 - PRINT NUMBER 849A [S00849 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-S00849-Amended.html



                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                         849--A

                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                     January 9, 2019
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sens.  BENJAMIN, FUNKE, KAPLAN -- read twice and ordered
          printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes --
          recommitted to the Committee on Codes in accordance with  Senate  Rule
          6,  sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as
          amended and recommitted to said committee

        AN ACT to amend the criminal procedure law, in relation  to  authorizing
          the  use of closed-circuit television for vulnerable domestic violence
          victim witnesses

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. Article 65 of the criminal procedure law, as added by chap-
     2  ter  505 of the laws of 1985, subdivision 1 of section 65.00, and subdi-
     3  vision 7 and paragraph (k) of subdivision 10 of section 65.20 as amended
     4  by chapter 320 of the laws of 2006, subdivision 9 of  section  65.20  as
     5  amended  by  section  4  of  part LLL of chapter 59 of the laws of 2019,
     6  subdivisions 11 and 12 of section 65.20 as amended by chapter 455 of the
     7  laws of 1991, subdivision 1 of section 65.10 as amended,  subdivision  2
     8  of  section  65.20  as added, the opening paragraph of subdivision 10 of
     9  section 65.20 as amended, and subdivisions 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11,  12
    10  and  13  of  section  65.20  as renumbered by chapter 548 of the laws of
    11  2007, is amended to read as follows:
    12                                  ARTICLE 65
    13                    USE OF CLOSED-CIRCUIT TELEVISION FOR
    14                          CERTAIN [CHILD] WITNESSES

    15  Section 65.00  Definitions.
    16          65.10  Closed-circuit television; general rule;  declaration  of
    17                   vulnerability.
    18          65.20  Closed-circuit  television; procedure for application and
    19                   grounds for determination.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD04701-02-0

        S. 849--A                           2

     1          65.30  Closed-circuit television;  special  testimonial  [proce-
     2                   dure] procedures.
     3  § 65.00 Definitions.
     4    As used in this article:
     5    1. "Child witness" means a person fourteen years old or less who is or
     6  will  be  called to testify in a criminal proceeding, other than a grand
     7  jury proceeding, concerning an offense defined in  article  one  hundred
     8  thirty  of the penal law or section 255.25, 255.26 or 255.27 of such law
     9  which is the subject of such criminal proceeding.
    10    2. "Domestic violence victim witness" means an  individual  who  is  a
    11  victim  of  a  family  offense, as defined in subdivision one of section
    12  530.11 of this chapter.
    13    3. "Vulnerable [child] witness" means a child witness  or  a  domestic
    14  violence victim witness whom a court has declared to be vulnerable.
    15    [3.] 4. "Testimonial room" means any room, separate and apart from the
    16  courtroom,  which  is  furnished  comfortably  and  less formally than a
    17  courtroom and from which the testimony of a vulnerable child witness can
    18  be transmitted to the courtroom by means of live, two-way closed-circuit
    19  television.
    20    [4.] 5. "Live, two-way closed-circuit television" means a simultaneous
    21  transmission, by closed-circuit television, or other  electronic  means,
    22  between  the  courtroom  and the testimonial room in accordance with the
    23  provisions of section 65.30 of this article.
    24    [5.] 6. "Operator" means the individual authorized  by  the  court  to
    25  operate  the closed-circuit television equipment used in accordance with
    26  the provisions of this article.
    27    [6.] 7. A person occupies "a position of authority with respect  to  a
    28  child"  when he or she is a parent, guardian or other person responsible
    29  for the custody or care of [the] a child at the relevant time or is  any
    30  other  person  who  maintains an ongoing personal relationship with such
    31  parent, guardian or other person responsible for custody or care,  which
    32  relationship  involves  his  or  her  living, or his or her frequent and
    33  repeated presence, in the same household or premises as the child.
    34  § 65.10 Closed-circuit television; general rule; declaration of  vulner-
    35            ability.
    36    1.  A  child  witness  or  a domestic violence victim witness shall be
    37  declared vulnerable when the court, in accordance with the provisions of
    38  section 65.20 of  this  article,  determines  by  clear  and  convincing
    39  evidence  that  it  is  likely  that such child witness or such domestic
    40  violence victim witness will suffer serious mental or emotional harm  if
    41  required  to  testify  at a criminal proceeding without the use of live,
    42  two-way closed-circuit television and that the use of such live, two-way
    43  closed-circuit television will diminish the  likelihood  or  extent  of,
    44  such harm.
    45    2.  When  the  court  declares  a child witness or a domestic violence
    46  victim witness to be vulnerable, it shall, except as provided in  subdi-
    47  vision  four  of  section 65.30 of this article, authorize the taking of
    48  the testimony of the vulnerable [child]  witness  from  the  testimonial
    49  room  by  means  of  live, two-way closed-circuit television.   Under no
    50  circumstances shall the provisions  of  this  article  be  construed  to
    51  authorize  a  closed-circuit  television  system  by which events in the
    52  courtroom are not transmitted to the testimonial room during the  testi-
    53  mony of the vulnerable [child] witness.
    54    3.  Nothing  [herein] in this article shall be [contrued] construed to
    55  preclude the court from exercising its power to close the  courtroom  or

        S. 849--A                           3

     1  from exercising any authority it otherwise may have to protect the well-
     2  being of a witness and the rights of the defendant.
     3  § 65.20 Closed-circuit television; procedure for application and grounds
     4            for determination.
     5    1. Prior to the commencement of a criminal proceeding[;], other than a
     6  grand  jury proceeding, either party may apply to the court for an order
     7  declaring that a child witness or a domestic violence victim witness  is
     8  vulnerable.
     9    2.  A  child  witness  or a domestic violence victim witness should be
    10  declared vulnerable when the court, in accordance with the provisions of
    11  this section, determines by clear and convincing evidence that the child
    12  witness or the domestic violence victim  witness  would  suffer  serious
    13  mental  or  emotional  harm  that  would  substantially impair the child
    14  witness' or the domestic violence victim witness' ability to communicate
    15  with the finder of fact without the use of live, two-way  closed-circuit
    16  television.
    17    3.  A  motion pursuant to subdivision one of this section must be made
    18  in writing at least eight days before the commencement of trial or other
    19  criminal proceeding upon reasonable notice to the other party  and  with
    20  an opportunity to be heard.
    21    4.  The  motion  papers  must  state the basis for the motion and must
    22  contain sworn allegations of fact which, if true, would support a deter-
    23  mination by the court that the child witness or  the  domestic  violence
    24  victim  witness  is  vulnerable.  Such allegations may be based upon the
    25  personal knowledge of the  deponent  or  upon  information  and  belief,
    26  provided  that, in the latter event, the sources of such information and
    27  the grounds for such belief are stated.
    28    5. The answering papers may admit or deny any of the alleged facts and
    29  may, in addition, contain sworn allegations  of  fact  relevant  to  the
    30  motion,  including  the rights of the defendant, the need to protect the
    31  child witness or the domestic violence victim witness and the  integrity
    32  of the truth-finding function of the trier of fact.
    33    6.  Unless  all  material  facts alleged in support of the motion made
    34  pursuant to subdivision one of this  section  are  conceded,  the  court
    35  shall,  in  addition  to examining the papers and hearing oral argument,
    36  conduct an appropriate hearing for the purpose  of  making  findings  of
    37  fact essential to the determination of the motion. Except as provided in
    38  subdivision  [six]  seven  of  this section, it may subpoena or call and
    39  examine witnesses, who must either testify under oath or be permitted to
    40  give unsworn testimony pursuant to subdivision two of section  60.20  of
    41  this  article and must authorize the attorneys for the parties to do the
    42  same.
    43    7. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the  child  witness  or
    44  the domestic violence victim witness who is alleged to be vulnerable may
    45  not  be compelled to testify at such hearing or to submit to any psycho-
    46  logical or psychiatric examination. The failure of the child witness  or
    47  the  domestic  violence  victim witness to testify at such hearing shall
    48  not be a ground for denying a motion made pursuant to subdivision one of
    49  this section. Prior statements made by the child witness relating to any
    50  allegations of conduct constituting an offense defined  in  article  one
    51  hundred  thirty of the penal law or incest as defined in section 255.25,
    52  255.26 or 255.27 of such law, or prior  statements  made  by  the  child
    53  witness  or the domestic violence victim witness relating to any allega-
    54  tion of words or conduct constituting an attempt to prevent,  impede  or
    55  deter  [the child] such witness from cooperating in the investigation or
    56  prosecution  of  the  offense  shall  be  admissible  at  such  hearing,

        S. 849--A                           4

     1  provided, however, that a declaration that a child witness or a domestic
     2  violence  victim witness is vulnerable may not be based solely upon such
     3  prior statements.
     4    8.  (a) Notwithstanding any of the provisions of article forty-five of
     5  the civil practice law and rules, any physician, psychologist, nurse  or
     6  social  worker  who  has  treated a child witness or a domestic violence
     7  victim witness may testify at a hearing conducted pursuant  to  subdivi-
     8  sion  [five]  six of this section concerning the treatment of such child
     9  witness or such domestic  violence  victim  witness  as  such  treatment
    10  relates  to the issue presented at the hearing, provided that any other-
    11  wise applicable statutory privileges concerning  communications  between
    12  the  child  witness  or  the  domestic  violence victim witness and such
    13  physician, psychologist, nurse or social worker in connection with  such
    14  treatment  shall not be deemed waived by such testimony alone, except to
    15  the limited extent of permitting the court alone to  examine  in  camera
    16  reports,  records  or  documents,  if  any,  prepared by such physician,
    17  psychologist, nurse or social worker. If upon such examination the court
    18  determines that such reports,  records  or  documents,  or  any  one  or
    19  portion  thereof, contain information material and relevant to the issue
    20  of whether the child witness or the domestic violence victim witness  is
    21  a  vulnerable [child] witness, the court shall disclose such information
    22  to both the attorney for the defendant and the district attorney.
    23    (b) At any time after a motion has been made pursuant  to  subdivision
    24  one of this section, upon the demand of the other party the moving party
    25  must  furnish  the  demanding  party  with a copy of any and all of such
    26  records, reports or other documents in  the  possession  of  such  other
    27  party  and  must,  in addition, supply the court with a copy of all such
    28  reports, records or other documents which are the subject of the demand.
    29  At any time after a demand has been made pursuant to this paragraph, the
    30  moving party may demand that property of the same kind or  character  in
    31  possession of the party that originally made such demand be furnished to
    32  the  moving party and, if so furnished, be supplied, in addition, to the
    33  court.
    34    9. (a) Prior to the commencement of the hearing conducted pursuant  to
    35  subdivision six of this section, the district attorney shall, subject to
    36  a  protective  order,  comply  with the provisions of subdivision one of
    37  section 245.20 of this chapter as they  concern  any  witness  whom  the
    38  district  attorney  intends to call at the hearing and the child witness
    39  or domestic violence victim witness.
    40    (b) Before a defendant calls a witness at  such  hearing,  he  or  she
    41  must,  subject  to  a  protective  order,  comply with the provisions of
    42  subdivision four of section 245.20 of this chapter as they  concern  all
    43  the witnesses the defendant intends to call at such hearing.
    44    10.  The  court may consider, in determining whether there are factors
    45  which would cause the child witness  or  the  domestic  violence  victim
    46  witness  to  suffer serious mental or emotional harm, a finding that any
    47  one or more of the following  circumstances  have  been  established  by
    48  clear and convincing evidence:
    49    (a) The manner of the commission of the offense of which the defendant
    50  is  accused was particularly heinous or was characterized by aggravating
    51  circumstances.
    52    (b) The child witness or  the  domestic  violence  victim  witness  is
    53  particularly  young  or  otherwise particularly subject to psychological
    54  harm on account of a physical or mental condition which  existed  before
    55  the alleged commission of the offense.

        S. 849--A                           5

     1    (c) At the time of the alleged offense, the defendant occupied a posi-
     2  tion of authority with respect to the child witness.
     3    (d)  The offense or offenses charged were part of an ongoing course of
     4  conduct committed by the defendant against  the  child  witness  or  the
     5  domestic violence victim witness over an extended period of time.
     6    (e)  A deadly weapon or dangerous instrument was allegedly used during
     7  the commission of the crime.
     8    (f) The defendant has inflicted serious physical injury upon the child
     9  witness or the domestic violence victim witness.
    10    (g) A threat, express or implied, of physical violence  to  the  child
    11  witness  or  the  domestic violence victim witness, or a third person if
    12  [the child] such witness were to report the incident to  any  person  or
    13  communicate information to or cooperate with a court, grand jury, prose-
    14  cutor,  police officer or peace officer concerning the incident has been
    15  made by or on behalf of the defendant.
    16    (h) A threat, express or implied, of the incarceration of a parent  or
    17  guardian  of  the child witness or the domestic violence victim witness,
    18  the removal of the child witness or the domestic violence victim witness
    19  from the family or the dissolution of the family of the child witness or
    20  the domestic violence victim witness if [the child] such witness were to
    21  report the incident to any person or communicate information to or coop-
    22  erate with a court, grand jury,  prosecutor,  police  officer  or  peace
    23  officer  concerning  the  incident  has been made by or on behalf of the
    24  defendant.
    25    (i) A witness other than the child witness or  the  domestic  violence
    26  victim  witness  has  received a threat of physical violence directed at
    27  such witness or to a third person by or on behalf of the defendant.
    28    (j) The defendant, at the time of the inquiry, (i) is  living  in  the
    29  same  household  with  the child witness or the domestic violence victim
    30  witness, (ii) has ready access to the  child  witness  or  the  domestic
    31  violence  victim  witness  or  (iii)  is providing substantial financial
    32  support for the child witness or the domestic violence victim witness.
    33    (k) The child witness or the  domestic  violence  victim  witness  has
    34  previously  been the victim of an offense defined in article one hundred
    35  thirty of the penal law or incest as defined in section  255.25,  255.26
    36  or 255.27 of such law.
    37    (l)  According  to expert testimony, the child witness or the domestic
    38  violence victim witness would be particularly  [suceptible]  susceptible
    39  to  psychological  harm  if  required to testify in open court or in the
    40  physical presence of the defendant.
    41    11. Irrespective of whether a motion was made pursuant to  subdivision
    42  one of this section, the court, at the request of either party or on its
    43  own  motion,  may  decide  that  a  child witness or a domestic violence
    44  victim witness may be vulnerable based on its own  observations  that  a
    45  child  witness or a domestic violence victim witness who has been called
    46  to testify at a  criminal  proceeding  is  suffering  severe  mental  or
    47  emotional harm and therefore is physically or mentally unable to testify
    48  or  to  continue to testify in open court or in the physical presence of
    49  the defendant and that the use of  live,  two-way  closed-circuit  tele-
    50  vision  is  necessary  to enable [the child] such witness to testify. If
    51  the court so decides, it must conduct the same hearing that  subdivision
    52  [five]  six  of  this section requires when a motion is made pursuant to
    53  subdivision one of this section, and  it  must  make  findings  of  fact
    54  pursuant  to  subdivisions  [nine  and  eleven]  ten  and twelve of this
    55  section, before determining that  the  child  witness  or  the  domestic
    56  violence victim witness is vulnerable.

        S. 849--A                           6

     1    12.  In deciding whether a child witness or a domestic violence victim
     2  witness is vulnerable, the court  shall  make  findings  of  fact  which
     3  reflect the causal relationship between the existence of any one or more
     4  of  the  factors  set forth in subdivision [nine] ten of this section or
     5  other  relevant  factors  which  the court finds are established and the
     6  determination that the child witness or  the  domestic  violence  victim
     7  witness is vulnerable.  If the court is satisfied that the child witness
     8  or  the  domestic  violence victim witness is vulnerable and that, under
     9  the facts and circumstances of  the  particular  case,  the  defendant's
    10  constitutional  rights to an impartial jury or of confrontation will not
    11  be impaired, it may enter an order granting the application for the  use
    12  of live, two-way closed-circuit television.
    13    13.  When  the court has determined that a child witness or a domestic
    14  violence victim witness is a vulnerable [child] witness, it shall make a
    15  specific finding as to whether  placing  the  defendant  and  the  child
    16  witness  or the domestic violence victim witness in the same room during
    17  the testimony of the child  witness  or  the  domestic  violence  victim
    18  witness  will contribute to the likelihood that [the child] such witness
    19  will suffer severe mental or emotional harm. If  the  court  finds  that
    20  placing  the  defendant  and  the child witness or the domestic violence
    21  victim witness in the same  room  during  the  testimony  of  the  child
    22  witness  or  the domestic violence victim witness will contribute to the
    23  likelihood that [the child] such witness will suffer  severe  mental  or
    24  emotional  harm,  the  order  entered  pursuant  to subdivision [eleven]
    25  twelve of this section shall direct that the  defendant  remain  in  the
    26  courtroom during the testimony of the vulnerable [child] witness.
    27  § 65.30 Closed-circuit television; special testimonial procedures.
    28    1.  When  the  court has entered an order pursuant to section 65.20 of
    29  this article, the testimony of the vulnerable [child] witness  shall  be
    30  taken  in the testimonial room and the image and voice of the vulnerable
    31  [child] witness, as well as the image of all other  persons  other  than
    32  the  operator present in the testimonial room, shall be transmitted live
    33  by means of closed-circuit television to the  courtroom.  The  courtroom
    34  shall  be  equipped  with monitors sufficient to permit the judge, jury,
    35  defendant and attorneys  to  observe  the  demeanor  of  the  vulnerable
    36  [child]  witness  during  his or her testimony. Unless the courtroom has
    37  been closed pursuant to court order, the public shall also be  permitted
    38  to  hear  the  testimony  and  view  the image of the vulnerable [child]
    39  witness.
    40    2. In all instances, the image of the  jury  shall  be  simultaneously
    41  transmitted  to  the vulnerable [child] witness in the testimonial room.
    42  If the court order issued pursuant to  section  65.20  of  this  article
    43  specifies  that the vulnerable [child] witness shall testify outside the
    44  physical presence of the defendant, the image of the defendant  and  the
    45  image  and  voice of the person examining the vulnerable [child] witness
    46  shall also be  simultaneously  transmitted  to  the  vulnerable  [child]
    47  witness in the testimonial room.
    48    3.  The operator shall place herself or himself and the closed-circuit
    49  television equipment in a position that permits the entire testimony  of
    50  the  vulnerable  [child]  witness to be transmitted to the courtroom but
    51  limits the ability of the vulnerable [child] witness to see or hear  the
    52  operator or the equipment.
    53    4.  Notwithstanding  any  provision of this article, if the court in a
    54  particular case involving a vulnerable [child] witness  determines  that
    55  there  is no live, two-way closed-circuit television equipment available
    56  in the court or another court in the county or which can be  transported

        S. 849--A                           7

     1  to  the  court from another county or that such equipment, if available,
     2  is technologically inadequate to protect the  constitutional  rights  of
     3  the  defendant,  it shall not permit the use of the closed-circuit tele-
     4  vision procedures authorized by this article.
     5    5. If the order of the court entered pursuant to section 65.20 of this
     6  article  requires that the defendant remain in the courtroom, the attor-
     7  ney for the defendant and the district attorney shall also remain in the
     8  courtroom unless the court is  satisfied  that  their  presence  in  the
     9  testimonial  room will not impede full and private communication between
    10  the defendant and his or her attorney and will not encourage the jury to
    11  draw an inference adverse to the interest of the defendant.
    12    6. Upon request of the defendant, the court shall  instruct  the  jury
    13  that they are to draw no inference from the use of live, two-way closed-
    14  circuit television in the examination of the vulnerable [child] witness.
    15    7.  The  vulnerable [child] witness shall testify under oath except as
    16  specified in subdivision two of section 60.20 of this article. The exam-
    17  ination and cross-examination of the vulnerable [child]  witness  shall,
    18  in all other respects, be conducted in the same manner as if the vulner-
    19  able [child] witness had testified in the courtroom.
    20    8. When the testimony of the vulnerable [child] witness is transmitted
    21  from  the  testimonial  room  into the courtroom, the court stenographer
    22  shall record the [textimony] testimony in the  same  manner  as  if  the
    23  vulnerable [child] witness had testified in the courtroom.
    24    §  2.  This  act  shall take effect immediately and shall apply to all
    25  criminal actions and proceedings commenced prior to the  effective  date
    26  of  this  act  but  still  pending  on such date as well as all criminal
    27  actions and proceedings commenced  on  or  after  such  effective  date.
    28  Provided  that  the  amendments  to article 65 of the criminal procedure
    29  law, made by section one of this act, shall not  affect  the  expiration
    30  and repeal of such article and shall be deemed repealed therewith.
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