2012 Rhode Island General Laws
Title 11 - Criminal Offenses
Chapter 11-37 - Sexual Assault
Chapter 11-37-13.1 - Recording – Grand jury testimony – Child assault.

§ 11-37-13.1 Recording – Grand jury testimony – Child assault. – (a) In any grand jury proceeding investigating a sexual assault alleged to have been committed against a child, a recording of a statement from the alleged victim who is fourteen (14) years of age or younger at the time of the proceeding shall be admissible into evidence at the proceeding if:

(1) The statement is sworn to under oath by the child, and the significance of the oath is explained to the child;

(2) The recording is both visual and aural and is recorded on film or videotape or by other electronic means;

(3) The recording equipment was capable of making an accurate recording, the operator of the equipment was competent, and the recording is accurate and has not been altered;

(4) Every voice on the recording is identified;

(5) The statement was not made in response to questioning calculated to lead the child to make a particular statement;

(6) The person conducting the interview is an attorney in the department of the attorney general or another person chosen by the attorney general to make the proceeding less intimidating to the child, and the interviewer is available to testify at the proceeding;

(7) The child is available to testify if requested by the grand jurors; and

(8) The recording is made a part of the record of the grand jury.

(b) In any grand jury proceeding investigating a sexual assault alleged to have been committed against a child, a recording of a statement from the alleged victim who is more than fourteen (14) years of age and less than eighteen (18) years of age at the time of the proceeding shall be admissible into evidence at the proceeding if:

(1) The attorney general petitions the court for permission to introduce the recording at the proceeding; and

(2) The court grants the petition upon a finding that the child would suffer unreasonable and unnecessary mental or emotional harm if required to appear personally before the grand jury in order to testify; and

(3) All of the conditions as set forth in subsection (a) of this section are followed.

History of Section.
(P.L. 1985, ch. 124, § 1; P.L. 2004, ch. 385, § 1; P.L. 2004, ch. 473, § 1.)