C.A. 4th;
E064206

The Fourth Appellate District affirmed a judgment with directions. In the published portion of its opinion, the court held that the placement of a screen to block the victim's view of the defendant during the victim's testimony did not violate the defendant's rights under the Confrontation Clause.

Jason Arredondo was tried before a jury on multiple charges of sex crimes committed against four minor victims, three of whom were Arredondo's stepdaughters, F.R., A.J.R., and A.M.R., who were 18, 14, and 13 years old, respectively, at the time of trial. The first to testify was F.R., who became distraught when brought to the stand. The court allowed a computer monitor on the witness stand to be raised, over Arredondo's objection, so as to completely block F.R.'s view of Arredondo while she testified. The monitor remained in place, without further objection, when A.J.R. and A.M.R. testified. Arredondo was convicted of 14 sex offenses and sentenced to a prison term of 33 years plus 275 years to life.