Long v. State

VANCE, Justice.

Appellant, James Edward Long, was convicted of sexual abuse of a child, sentenced to twenty years’ imprisonment, and assessed a $10,000 fine. Appellant contends, inter alia, that the admission of videotaped testimony of the complaining witness violated his right of confrontation. We agree. Accordingly, we hold that TEX.CODE CRIM.PROC.ANN. art. 38.071, § 2 (Vernon Supp.1985) is unconstitutional and reverse.

In the jury’s presence, the State introduced a video tape recording of an interview of the complainant, a twelve-year-old child, by Jan De Lipsey, a Rape Crisis Center…