Court Opinion

ID: 9592510
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 00:14:47.992328+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:06:40.350066
License: Public Domain

TOMLJANOVICH, Justice
(dissenting).
I respectfully dissent. I would remand this case for a new trial.
I can appreciate that it will be embarrassing and awkward for the alleged victim and her sister to testify with spectators present at the trial; however, that alone is not a sufficient basis on which to deny a public trial.
The majority has set forth the statutory and case law requirements which must be met before a trial may be closed to spectators. The majority also cites the trial record which clearly indicates that those requirements were not met.
The trial was held in February 1992. To permit an evidentiary hearing at this late date to justify the closure is in my opinion inappropriate.