A Fairbanks man convicted of sexual abuse of a minor based on the video testimony of two young girls will have his cased reviewed.
The Alaska Court of Appeals ruled Friday that video testimony, sparing children the ordeal of appearing in court, must be scrutinized by the trial judge.
The Appeals Court says trial judges must review video testimony to determine whether recorded statements were taken in a neutral manner.
A judge must also determine whether the taped testimony is reliable.
The ruling came in the case of 60-year-old Arthur Augustine.
His attorney submitted expert testimony claiming the interviews of the girls were conducted by an Alaska State Troopers investigator who asked leading questions and had a preconceived hypothesis on the case.