Section 649-A:7 Discovery. - New Hampshire Statutes

   I. In any criminal proceeding, any material that constitutes a visual representation of a child engaging in or being engaged in sexually explicit conduct shall remain in the care, custody, and control of the state or the court.
   II. The state shall provide ample opportunity for the defendant, his or her attorney, or any individual the defendant may seek to qualify to furnish expert testimony at trial, or any expert retained in anticipation of criminal litigation or for preparation for trial, to inspect, view, and examine the property or material at a state facility.
   III. Upon a defense motion or by agreement of the parties establishing that it is necessary to copy, photograph, duplicate, or otherwise reproduce such material or property in order to prepare a defense, the court may authorize such action, provided that the court's order include a protective order prohibiting disclosure of the material or property to any one other than the defendant, his or her attorney, or any individual the defendant may seek to qualify to furnish expert testimony at trial, or any expert retained in anticipation of criminal litigation or for preparation for trial. The court protective order shall require that all such material or property provided to the defense be kept secure against theft and inadvertent disclosure to any other person and be maintained in a manner which deters copying or dissemination. Any person either handling or viewing such material or property shall sign a non-disclosure agreement agreeing to refrain from copying or publishing any visual representation of a child engaging in or being engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Any person who views any of the images shall certify in writing that he or she has not knowingly kept any material or property which would qualify as an image of child sexual abuse under state or federal law, and that all materials, property, and signed non-disclosure agreements shall be returned to the state at the end of the case.

Source. 2008, 323:3, eff. Jan. 1, 2009.