Opinion ID: 1835229
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Sequestering Defendant.

Text: Prior to trial the State moved that the trial testimony of the child-witnesses be taken out of the presence of the defendant. The State asked this in order to avoid a face-to-face contact or the viewing by the child-witnesses of the defendant. The motion asserted that all the child-witnesses have some form of learning or mental disability. Authorities for the relief requested were cited as Iowa Rule of Criminal Procedure 12(2), and Iowa Code chapter 910A (1985). Some of the witnesses were alleged to be children, as defined by Iowa Code section 702.5 (1985). The State asked that the defendant be confined to an adjacent room or behind a screen or mirror that would permit the defendant to see and hear the child-witnesses during their testimony, but would not allow them to see or hear the defendant. Further, the State asked that the arrangement provide that defendant and his counsel be able to confer during the testimony and that the children be informed that the defendant could see and hear their testimony. Mayer's counsel agreed to the shielding of the witnesses from Mayer believing it was legitimized by our decision in State v. Coy, 397 N.W.2d 730 (Iowa 1986), and his understanding of our rules of evidence regarding the shielding of rape victims during testimony. Iowa R.Evid. 412. He was apparently not aware that Coy was at that time on appeal to the United States Supreme Court. The trial court made a record with counsel regarding screening the defendant from the witnesses. The court specifically referred to our case of Coy which had approved a screening procedure. The trial court believed the defendant's right of confrontation under the constitutions of Iowa and the United States was protected. At trial the testimony of the alleged victims was taken in the courtroom while defendant Mayer was confined to the judge's chambers. He was able to see his counsel in the courtroom and could see the witnesses by looking at a television screen. The witnesses could not see defendant. Defendant objected to this procedure at the outset and complained to his counsel. He said he would get a fairer trial if he could see the children face-to-face at trial. He told counsel he wanted to be present at the depositions and also during trial but his counsel explained to him that the law at that time was that they could keep the children sequestered from him.