
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 42USC10608]

 
                 TITLE 42--THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE
 
             CHAPTER 112--VICTIM COMPENSATION AND ASSISTANCE
 
Sec. 10608. Closed circuit televised court proceedings for 
        victims of crime
        

(a) In general

    Notwithstanding any provision of the Federal Rules of Criminal 
Procedure to the contrary, in order to permit victims of crime to watch 
criminal trial proceedings in cases where the venue of the trial is 
changed--
        (1) out of the State in which the case was initially brought; 
    and
        (2) more than 350 miles from the location in which those 
    proceedings originally would have taken place;

the trial court shall order closed circuit televising of the proceedings 
to that location, for viewing by such persons the court determines have 
a compelling interest in doing so and are otherwise unable to do so by 
reason of the inconvenience and expense caused by the change of venue.

(b) Limited access

                            (1) Generally

        No other person, other than official court and security 
    personnel, or other persons specifically designated by the court, 
    shall be permitted to view the closed circuit televising of the 
    proceedings.

                            (2) Exception

        The court shall not designate a person under paragraph (1) if 
    the presiding judge at the trial determines that testimony by that 
    person would be materially affected if that person heard other 
    testimony at the trial.

(c) Restrictions

    (1) The signal transmitted pursuant to subsection (a) of this 
section shall be under the control of the court at all times and shall 
only be transmitted subject to the terms and conditions imposed by the 
court.
    (2) No public broadcast or dissemination shall be made of the signal 
transmitted pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. In the event any 
tapes are produced in carrying out subsection (a) of this section, such 
tapes shall be the property of the court and kept under seal.
    (3) Any violations of this subsection, or any rule or order made 
pursuant to this section, shall be punishable as contempt of court as 
described in section 402 of title 18.

(d) Donations

    The Administrative Office of the United States Courts may accept 
donations to enable the courts to carry out subsection (a) of this 
section.

(e) Construction

    (1) \1\ Nothing in this section shall be construed--
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    \1\ So in original. No par. (2) has been enacted.
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        (i) to create in favor of any person a cause of action against 
    the United States or any officer or employees thereof, or
        (ii) to provide any person with a defense in any action in which 
    application of this section is made.

(f) ``State'' defined

    As used in this section, the term ``State'' means any State, the 
District of Columbia, or any possession or territory of the United 
States.

(g) Rules

    The Judicial Conference of the United States, pursuant to its rule 
making authority under section 331 of title 28, may promulgate and issue 
rules, or amend existing rules, to effectuate the policy addressed by 
this section. Upon the implementation of such rules, this section shall 
cease to be effective.

(h) Effective date

    This section shall only apply to cases filed after January 1, 1995.

(Pub. L. 104-132, title II, Sec. 235, Apr. 24, 1996, 110 Stat. 1246.)

                       References in Text

    The Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, referred to in subsec. (a), 
are set out in the Appendix to Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure.

                          Codification

    This section was enacted as part of the Justice for Victims of 
Terrorism Act of 1996, and also as part of the Antiterrorism and 
Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, and not as part of the Victims of 
Crime Act of 1984 which comprises this chapter.
