§ 62-6B-5 — Memorialization of statements of certain child witnesses; admissibility; hearing

West Virginia § 62-6B-5

• Jurisdiction: West Virginia
• Ch. 62: CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
• Art. 6B: PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION OF STATEMENTS AND TESTIMONY OF CHILD WITNESS

Text

(a) After the effective date of this section, whenever any law-enforcement officer, physician, psychologist, social worker, or investigator, in the course of his or her employment or profession or while engaged in an active criminal investigation as a law-enforcement officer or an agent of a prosecuting attorney, obtains a statement from a child 13 years of age or younger who is an alleged victim in an investigation or prosecution alleging a violation of the provisions of §61-8B-3, §61-8B-4, §61-8B-5, or §61-8B-7 of this code, he or she shall immediately make a contemporaneous written notation and recitation of the statement received or obtained. An audio recording or video recording with sound capability of the statement may be used in lieu of the written recitation required by the provisions of this section. Failure to comply with the provisions of this section creates a presumption that the statement is inadmissible. The statement may be admitted if, after a hearing on the matter, the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the failure to comply with the provisions of this section was a good faith omission and that the content of the proffered statement is an accurate recital of the information provided by the child and is otherwise admissible.

(b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to:

(1) Medical personnel and other persons performing a forensic medical examination of a child who is an alleged victim; and

(2) Prosecuting attorneys when counseling with a child in preparation for eliciting the child’s testimony in court.

Legislative History

2018 Reg. Sess., HB4020; 2001 Reg. Sess., SB34