In re Nelo O

19 Misc. 3d 418
CourtNew York City Family Court
DecidedJanuary 29, 2008
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 19 Misc. 3d 418 (In re Nelo O) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York City Family Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Nelo O, 19 Misc. 3d 418 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 2008).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

John M. Hunt, J.

The presentment agency has moved for an order pursuant to Family Court Act § 343.1 (4) and Criminal Procedure Law § 65.20 declaring that the five-year-old victim in this juvenile delinquency proceeding, which involves allegations that respondent committed one or more sex offenses, is a “vulnerable witness.” Additionally, the presentment agency seeks an order directing that the alleged victim’s testimony at the fact-finding hearing be taken by means of live, two-way closed-circuit television.

The juvenile delinquency petition alleges that the respondent, Noel O., has committed acts which, were he an adult, would constitute the crimes of sexual abuse in the first, second and third degrees and endangering the welfare of a child. After a preliminary hearing conducted pursuant to Family Court Act § 343.1 (see CPL 60.20 [2]; People v Byrnes, 33 NY2d 343 [1974]),1 the court determined that the alleged victim, Jessi M. (born 2002) was competent to be sworn as a witness in the pro[420]*420spective fact-finding hearing (Matter of Noel O., 15 Misc 3d 1146[A], 2007 NY Slip Op 51155[U] [2007]).

Thereafter, the presentment agency moved for a finding pursuant to Family Court Act § 343.1 (4) and CPL 65.20 declaring the alleged victim to be a “vulnerable witness” and for an order directing that the alleged victim’s testimony at the fact-finding hearing be taken by means of live, two-way closed-circuit television. The statutes applicable to the presentment agency’s application were amended during the pendency of this proceeding (L 2007, ch 548 [eff Aug. 15, 2007]), and the court applied the provisions of the amendment since the statutes are procedural in nature and the court did not consider and decide the issue of the child’s vulnerability until after the effective date of the amendment (Majewski v Broadalbin-Perth Cent. School Dist., 91 NY2d 577, 584 [1998]; Bolarinwa v Albany Med. Ctr. Hosp., 261 AD2d 21, 22 [2000], Iv dismissed 95 NY2d 825 [2000]; People v Oliver, 1 NY2d 152, 157 [1956]; People v Behlog, 74 NY2d 237, 240 [1989]).

The relevant portions of the Family Court Act and the CPL allow a child witness who has been declared to be “vulnerable” to give testimony by way of live, two-way closed-circuit television at a trial or a fact-finding hearing (Family Ct Act § 343.1 [4] [a child witness may give testimony in accordance with the provisions of article 65 of the CPL]).2

CPL 65.10 (1), as amended effective August 15, 2007, provides that

“[a] child witness shall be declared vulnerable when the court, in accordance with the provisions of section 65.20, determines by clear and convincing evidence that it is likely that such child witness will suffer serious mental or emotional harm if required to testify at a criminal proceeding without the use of live, two-way closed-circuit television.”

The procedures applicable to an application seeking a declaration that a child witness is “vulnerable” are set forth in CPL 65.20. The 2007 amendment added a new subdivision (2) to CPL 65.20 and the subdivision reads as follows:

“2. A child witness should be declared vulnerable when the court, in accordance with the provisions of [421]*421this section, determines by clear and convincing evidence that the child witness would suffer serious mental or emotional harm that would substantially impair the child witness’ ability to communicate with the finder of fact without the use of live, two-way closed-circuit television.”

In determining whether there is clear and convincing evidence that a child will suffer serious mental or emotional harm if required to testify at trial without the use of closed-circuit television, CPL 65.20 (10) sets forth a nonexhaustive list of factors which the court should consider. Those factors are as follows:

“(a) The manner of the commission of the offense of which the defendant is accused was particularly heinous or was characterized by aggravating circumstances.
“(b) The child witness is particularly young or otherwise particularly subject to psychological harm on account of a physical or mental condition which existed before the alleged commission of the offense.
“(c) At the time of the alleged offense, the defendant occupied a position of authority with respect to the child witness.
“(d) The offense or offenses charged were part of an ongoing course of conduct committed by the defendant against the child witness over an extended period of time.
“(e) A deadly weapon or dangerous instrument was allegedly used during the commission of the crime.
“(f) The defendant has inflicted serious physical injury upon the child witness.
“(g) A threat, express or implied, of physical violence to the child witness or a third person if the child witness were to report the incident to any person or communicate information to or cooperate with a court, grand jury, prosecutor, police officer or peace officer concerning the incident has been made by or on behalf of the defendant.
“(h) A threat, express or implied, of the incarceration of a parent or guardian of the child witness, the removal of the child witness from the family or the dissolution of the family of the child witness if the child witness were to report the incident to any person or communicate information to or cooperate [422]*422with a court, grand jury, prosecutor, police officer or peace officer concerning the incident has been made by or on behalf of the defendant.
“(i) A witness other than the child witness has received a threat of physical violence directed at such witness or to a third person by or on behalf of the defendant.
“(j) The defendant, at the time of the inquiry, (i) is living in the same household with the child witness,
(ii) has ready access to the child witness or (iii) is providing substantial financial support for the child witness.
“(k) The child witness has previously been the victim of an offense defined in article one hundred thirty of the penal law or incest as defined in section. 255.25, 255.26 or 255.27 of such law.
“(Z) According to expert testimony, the child witness would be particularly su[s]ceptible to psychological harm if required to testify in open court or in the physical presence of the defendant.”

Should the court declare that the child is “vulnerable” within the meaning of CPL 65.00 (2) in accordance with CPL 65.10 (1), which was also amended in 2007, and CPL 65.20 (2), then the statute directs that

“the testimony of the vulnerable child witness shall be taken in the testimonial room and the image and voice of the vulnerable child witness, as well as the image of all other persons other than the operator present in the testimonial room, shall be transmitted live by means of closed-circuit television to the courtroom.

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Related

Commonwealth v. Williams
84 A.3d 680 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 2014)
People v. Beltran
110 A.D.3d 153 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 2013)
Matter of Noel O.
2008 NY Slip Op 28029 (Queens Family Court, 2008)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
19 Misc. 3d 418, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-nelo-o-nycfamct-2008.