NE Code § 29-1926 (2021)
2021 Nebraska Revised Statutes|Chapter 29 - Criminal Procedure|29-1926 - Child victim or child witness; video deposition and in camera testimony; conditions; use; findings by court; release; procedure; violation; penalty.

29-1926.  Child victim or child witness; video deposition and in camera testimony; conditions; use; findings by court; release; procedure; violation; penalty.(1)(a) Upon request of the prosecuting or defense attorney and upon a showing of compelling need, the court shall order the taking of a video deposition of a child victim of or child witness to any offense punishable as a felony. The deposition ordinarily shall be in lieu of courtroom or in camera testimony by the child. If the court orders a video deposition, the court shall:(i) Designate the time and place for taking the deposition. The deposition may be conducted in the courtroom, the judge's chambers, or any other location suitable for video recording;(ii) Assure adequate time for the defense attorney to complete discovery before taking the deposition; and(iii) Preside over the taking of the video deposition in the same manner as if the child were called as a witness for the prosecution during the course of the trial.(b) Unless otherwise required by the court, the deposition shall be conducted in the presence of the prosecuting attorney, the defense attorney, the defendant, and any other person deemed necessary by the court, including the parent or guardian of the child victim or child witness, an advocate as defined in section 29-4309, or a counselor or other person with whom the child is familiar. Such parent, guardian, advocate, counselor, or other person shall be allowed to sit with or near the child unless the court determines that such person would be disruptive to the child's testimony.(c) At any time subsequent to the taking of the original video deposition and upon sufficient cause shown, the court shall order the taking of additional video depositions to be admitted at the time of the trial.(d) If the child testifies at trial in person rather than by video deposition, the taking of the child's testimony may, upon request of the prosecuting attorney and upon a showing of compelling need, be conducted in camera.(e) Unless otherwise required by the court, the child shall testify in the presence of the prosecuting attorney, the defense attorney, the defendant, and any other person deemed necessary by the court, including the parent or guardian of the child victim or child witness, an advocate as defined in section 29-4309, or a counselor or other person with whom the child is familiar. Such parent, guardian, advocate, counselor, or other person shall be allowed to sit with or near the child unless the court determines that such person would be disruptive to the child's testimony. Unless waived by the defendant, all persons in the room shall be visible on camera except the camera operator.(f) If deemed necessary to preserve the constitutionality of the child's testimony, the court may direct that during the testimony the child shall at all times be in a position to see the defendant live or on camera.(g) For purposes of this section, child means a person eleven years of age or younger at the time the motion to take the deposition is made or at the time of the taking of in camera testimony at trial.(h) Nothing in this section shall restrict the court from conducting the pretrial deposition or in camera proceedings in any manner deemed likely to facilitate and preserve a child's testimony to the fullest extent possible, consistent with the right to confrontation guaranteed in the Sixth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States and Article I, section 11, of the Nebraska Constitution. In deciding whether there is a compelling need that child testimony accommodation is required by pretrial video deposition, in camera live testimony, in camera video testimony, or any other accommodation, the court shall make particularized findings on the record of:(i) The nature of the offense;(ii) The significance of the child's testimony to the case;(iii) The likelihood of obtaining the child's testimony without modification of trial procedure or with a different modification involving less substantial digression from trial procedure than the modification under consideration;(iv) The child's age;(v) The child's psychological maturity and understanding; and(vi) The nature, degree, and duration of potential injury to the child from testifying.(i) The court may order an independent examination by a psychologist or psychiatrist if the defense attorney requests the opportunity to rebut the showing of compelling need produced by the prosecuting attorney. Such examination shall be conducted in the child's county of residence.(j) After a finding of compelling need by the court, neither party may call the child witness to testify as a live witness at the trial before the jury unless that party demonstrates that the compelling need no longer exists.(k) Nothing in this section shall limit the right of access of the media or the public to open court.(l) Nothing in this section shall preclude discovery by the defendant as set forth in section 29-1912.(m) The Supreme Court may adopt and promulgate rules of procedure to administer this section, which rules shall not be in conflict with laws governing such matters.(2)(a) No custodian of a video recording of a child victim or child witness alleging, explaining, denying, or describing an act of sexual assault pursuant to section 28-319, 28-319.01, or 28-320.01 or child abuse pursuant to section 28-707 as part of an investigation or evaluation of the abuse or assault shall release or use a video recording or copies of a video recording or consent, by commission or omission, to the release or use of a video recording or copies of a video recording to or by any other party without a court order, notwithstanding the fact that the child victim or child witness has consented to the release or use of the video recording or that the release or use is authorized under law, except as provided in section 28-730 or pursuant to an investigation under the Office of Inspector General of Nebraska Child Welfare Act. Any custodian may release or consent to the release or use of a video recording or copies of a video recording to law enforcement agencies or agencies authorized to prosecute such abuse or assault cases on behalf of the state.(b) The court order may govern the purposes for which the video recording may be used, the reproduction of the video recording, the release of the video recording to other persons, the retention and return of copies of the video recording, and any other requirements reasonably necessary for the protection of the privacy and best interests of the child victim or child witness.(c)(i) Pursuant to section 29-1912, the defendant described in the video recording may petition the district court in the county where the alleged offense took place or where the custodian of the video recording resides for an order requiring the custodian of the video recording to provide a physical copy to the defendant or the defendant's attorney. Such order shall include a protective order prohibiting further distribution of the video recording without a court order.(ii) Upon obtaining the copy of the video recording pursuant to subdivision (2)(c)(i) of this section, the defendant or the defendant's attorney may request that the recording be transcribed by filing a motion with the court identifying the court reporter or transcriber and the address or location where the transcription will occur. Upon receipt of such request, the court shall enter an order authorizing the distribution of a copy of the video recording to such reporter or transcriber and requiring the copy of the video recording be returned by the reporter or transcriber upon completion of the transcription. Such order may include a protective order related to the distribution of the video recording or information contained in the video recording, including an order that identifying information of the child victim or child witness be redacted from the transcript prepared pursuant to this subsection. Upon return of such copy, the defendant or the defendant's attorney shall certify to the court and the parties that such copy has been returned.(iii) After obtaining the copy of the video recording pursuant to subdivision (2)(c)(i) of this section, the defendant or the defendant's attorney may file a motion with the court requesting permission to release such copy to an expert or investigator. If the defendant or the defendant's attorney believes that including the name or identifying information of such expert or investigator will prejudice the defendant, the court shall permit the defendant or the defendant's attorney to include such information in the form of a written statement to be inspected by the court alone. The statement shall be sealed and preserved in the records of the court. Upon granting such motion, the court shall enter an order authorizing the distribution of a copy of the video recording to such expert or investigator and requiring the copy of the video recording be returned by the expert or investigator upon the completion of services of the expert or investigator. The order shall not include the name or identifying information of the expert or investigator. Such order may include a protective order related to the distribution of the video recording or information contained in the video recording. Upon return of such copy, the defendant or the defendant's attorney shall certify to the court and the parties that such copy has been returned. Such certification shall not include the name or identifying information of the expert or the investigator.(d) Any person who releases or uses a video recording except as provided in this section shall be guilty of a Class I misdemeanor.Source   Laws 1988, LB 90, § 3;   Laws 1997, LB 643, § 1;  Laws 2006, LB 1199, § 12;  Laws 2015, LB347, § 1;  Laws 2020, LB43, § 11;  Laws 2020, LB1148, § 8.  Cross References  Office of Inspector General of Nebraska Child Welfare Act, see section 43-4301.Annotations In a jury trial, a large opaque screen in the courtroom, separating the child witness from the defendant, was a violation of the defendant's due process right to a fair trial. State v. Parker, 276 Neb. 661, 757 N.W.2d 7 (2008).