The Nation - News from July 2, 1987

It is unconstitutional for prosecutors to videotape a child’s testimony and show the tape to jurors in child-abuse cases, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled. The decision came in a 6-3 ruling that threw out the conviction of James Edward Long of Dallas, who had been sentenced to 20 years in prison and fined $10,000 for abusing the daughter of a woman with whom he lived. The 12-year-old girl’s videotaped testimony was shown to jurors, and she also testified in person. Long’s attorneys claimed the introduction of the videotape violated his constitutional right to confront witnesses.