Coy v. Iowa

Appellant was convicted of two counts of lascivious acts with a child after a jury trial in which a screen placed between him and the two complaining witnesses blocked him from their sight. Appellant contends that this procedure, authorized by state statute, violated his Sixth Amendment right to confront the witnesses against him.

I — I

In August 1985, appellant was arrested and charged with sexually assaulting two 13-year-old girls earlier that- month while they were camping out in the backyard of the house next door to him. According to the girls, the assailant entered their tent after they…