Si un niño menor de 12 años dice algo importante sobre un crimen, su declaración puede ser usada en la corte. A veces, si el niño no puede testificar, su declaración se puede aceptar si es confiable.
Es como cuando un amigo cuenta un secreto a alguien, y aunque no pueda estar presente para confirmarlo, si todos confían en su palabra, puede ser tomado en cuenta.
Imagina que Ana, una niña de 10 años, presencia un robo en su escuela. Aunque Ana está demasiado asustada para testificar en el juicio, su declaración sobre lo que vio puede ser aceptada si el juez considera que es confiable.
42 Pa.C.S. 5985.1 - Admissibility Of Certain Statements (a) General rule.--An out-of-court statement made by a child victim or witness, who at the time the statement was made was 12 years of age or younger, describing any of the offenses enumerated in 18 Pa.C.S. Chs. 25 (relating to criminal homicide), 27 (relating to assault), 29 (relating to kidnapping), 31 (relating to sexual offenses), 35 (relating to burglary and other criminal intrusion) and 37 (relating to robbery), not otherwise admissible by statute or rule of evidence, is admissible in evidence in any criminal or civil proceeding if: (1) the court finds, in an in camera hearing, that the evidence is relevant and that the time, content and circumstances of the statement provide sufficient indicia of reliability; and (2) the child either: (i) testifies at the proceeding; or (ii) is unavailable as a witness. (a.1) Emotional distress.--In order to make a finding under subsection (a)(2)(ii) that the child is unavailable as a witness, the court must determine, based on evidence presented to it, that testimony by the child as a witness will result in the child suffering serious emotional distress that would substantially impair the child's ability to reasonably communicate. In making this determination, the court may do all of the following: (1) Observe and question the child, either inside or outside the courtroom. (2) Hear testimony of a parent or custodian or any other person, such as a person who has dealt with the child in a medical or therapeutic setting. (a.2) Counsel and confrontation.--If the court hears testimony in connection with making a finding under subsection (a)(2)(ii), all of the following apply: (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the defendant, the attorney for the defendant and the attorney
Las declaraciones de niños menores de 12 años sobre ciertos crímenes, como robo o abuso, pueden ser usadas si son consideradas confiables.
Si el niño no puede testificar debido a miedo o angustia emocional, su declaración aún puede ser aceptada si el juez lo determina.
El juez revisa el contexto y las circunstancias de la declaración en una audiencia privada antes de decidir si es confiable.
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