(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a court may, upon the submission of a written request by the party calling the witness, order an incarcerated witness to testify in legal proceedings via two-way electronic audiovisual communication.
(b) As used in this section, “legal proceedings” includes preliminary hearings, civil trials, and criminal trials.
(c) With reference to criminal trials only, the procedure described in this section shall only be used with the consent of both parties expressed in open court, and, in consultation with the defendant’s counsel, upon a waiver by the defendant of his or her right to compel the physical presence of the witness, pursuant to the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Section 15 of Article I of the California Constitution. This waiver may be rescinded by the defendant upon a showing of good cause.
(d) No inducement shall be offered nor any penalty imposed in connection with a defendant’s consent to allow a witness to testify via closed-circuit television.
(Added by Stats. 1998, Ch. 122, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1999.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018