Sec. 54-76h. Proceedings private. Segregation of defendant in place of detention. Presence of victim at proceeding. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 54-76h. Proceedings private. Segregation of defendant in place of detention. Presence of victim at proceeding. (a) All of the proceedings had under the provisions of sections 54-76b to 54-76n, inclusive, shall be private and shall be conducted in such parts of the courthouse or the building wherein court is located as shall be separate and apart from the other parts of the court which are then being held for proceedings pertaining to adults charged with crimes. If the defendant is committed while any examination and investigation under section 54-76d is pending, before trial, during trial or after judgment and before sentence, those persons in charge of the place of detention shall segregate the defendant, to the extent of their facilities, from defendants over the age of eighteen years charged with crime.

      (b) In a proceeding under sections 54-76b to 54-76n, inclusive, the court shall not exclude any victim from such proceeding or any portion thereof unless, after hearing from the parties and the victim and for good cause shown, which shall be clearly and specifically stated on the record, the court orders otherwise. For the purposes of this subsection, "victim" means a person who is the victim of a crime for which a youth is charged, a parent or guardian of such person, the legal representative of such person or an advocate appointed for such person pursuant to section 54-221.

      (1971, P.A. 72, S. 7; P.A. 05-169, S. 2; 05-232, S. 4.)

      History: P.A. 05-169 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a), made technical changes therein and added Subsec. (b) re presence of victim at proceeding; P.A. 05-232 deleted exception for proceedings on motion under Sec. 54-76c, added reference to investigation under Sec. 54-76d and made technical changes, effective January 1, 2006.

      Cited. 173 C. 414. Cited. 179 C. 98. Cited. 189 C. 92 (Diss. Op.). Cited. 192 C. 85. Cited. 195 C. 303. Cited. 240 C. 743.

      Presence of parents during testimony of their minor child as a witness should be allowed during youthful offender proceedings with instruction given as to requirement of secrecy. Defendant's statutory right to privacy not absolute. 8 CA 607.

      Cited. 30 CS 71. Cited. 38 CS 675.