Legal Opinion
Commonwealth v. Willis
Kentucky Supreme Court
Decided October 16, 1986PublishedCited by 65 opinions
1Opinion of the Court
WINTERSHEIMER, Justice.
This appeal is from an order denying a request to take the testimony of a 5-year-old sexual abuse victim pursuant to KRS 421.350(3), (4), (5), and holding those sections unconstitutional because they deny the defendant the right to confrontation and violate the separation of powers doctrine.
Willis was indicted on two counts of first-degree sexual abuse. Before trial, he moved to exclude the testimony of the child victim, claiming that she was incompetent to testify. A competency hearing was held in the chambers of the trial court with the trial judge, the court…
Also in this document: Dissent.
2Cases cited17 opinions
- Davis v. AlaskaSupreme Court of the United States · 1974
- Chambers v. MississippiSupreme Court of the United States · 1973
- Ohio v. RobertsSupreme Court of the United States · 1980
- Snyder v. MassachusettsSupreme Court of the United States · 1934
- Mattox v. United StatesSupreme Court of the United States · 1895
12 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by65 opinions
- Bell v. CommonwealthKentucky Supreme Court · 1994
- Stringer v. CommonwealthKentucky Supreme Court · 1997
- State v. JarzbekSupreme Court of Connecticut · 1987
- State v. FosterWashington Supreme Court · 1998
- State v. FosterWashington Supreme Court · 1998
60 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.