Testigos internos en casos criminales en Virginia

Explicación Simple

Si alguien está en la cárcel y sabe algo importante sobre un crimen, puede ser llamado a testificar en un juicio. El juez puede ordenar que lo lleven a la corte para que hable. Después de su testimonio, lo devuelven a la cárcel.

Es como cuando un jugador de un equipo está en el banquillo, pero el entrenador decide que necesita que entre a jugar para ayudar al equipo a ganar. Luego de jugar, regresa al banquillo.

Ejemplo Práctico

Imagina que Juan está acusado de un robo y en la cárcel hay un interno, Carlos, que vio lo que pasó. El abogado de Juan pide al juez que Carlos testifique. El juez ordena que Carlos sea llevado a la corte, donde cuenta lo que vio, y luego regresa a la cárcel.

Texto Original del Estatuto (Inglés)

Va. Code § 19.2-269.1 - Inmates as witnesses in criminal cases. Whenever the Commonwealth or a defendant in a criminal prosecution in any circuit court in this Commonwealth requires as a witness in his behalf, an inmate in a state or local correctional facility as defined in § 53.1-1 , the court, on the application of such defendant or his attorney, or the attorney for the Commonwealth, shall issue an order to the Director of the Department of Corrections to deliver such witness to the sheriff of the jurisdiction of the court issuing the order. If authorized by the court, the clerk of the circuit court or a deputy clerk may issue these orders on behalf of the court. The sheriff shall go where such witness may then be and carry him to the court to testify as such witness, and after he has testified and been released as such witness, carry him back to the place whence he came, for all of which service the sheriff shall be paid out of the criminal expense funds in the state treasury such compensation as the court in which the case is pending may certify to be reasonable. Code 1950, § 8-300; 1966, c. 227; 1974, cc. 44, 45; 1977, c. 624; 2002, cc. 515 , 544 . Va. Code § 19.2-269.2 - Nondisclosure of addresses or telephone numbers of crime victims and witnesses. During any criminal proceeding, upon motion of the defendant or the attorney for the Commonwealth, a judge may prohibit testimony as to the current residential or business address, any telephone number, or email address of a victim or witness if the judge determines that this information is not material under the circumstances of the case. 1989, c. 170; 1994, cc. 845 , 931 ; 2018, cc. 47 , 83 .