The prosecution attempted to have a witnesses testify by Skype in the high profile George Zimmerman trial, in which Zimmerman was accused of murdering Trayvon Martin. The United States Constitution and the New Mexico Constitution both ensure a criminal defendant the right to confront witnesses, which means witnesses must testify in open court and the defense lawyer has the right to cross examine the witnesses. A witness cannot simply submit their statements.
With technology rapidly expanding, some courts are allowing things like Skype to be used in lieu of live in-court testimony.
Predicability, this sometimes ends in disaster. In the Zimmerman trial, the expert was inundated with phone calls from pranksters attempting to disrupt the trial. The following is a picture of what the screen looked like for the jury while the expert was attempting to testify:
If you need a criminal defense lawyer to make sure your trial goes smoothly, you can contact McGraw Law & Associates at: (575) 323-1529
Las Cruces, NM