United States Eighth Circuit

In a civil action for outrage and battery, district court judgment against defendant is affirmed where: 1) the evidence was sufficient to support the jury's verdict that defendant sexually abused his daughter; and 2) the court did not abuse its discretion in allowing the victim to testify by closed circuit television after interviewing her and determining that appearing in the courtroom would be too traumatic, as the need to protect the welfare of an abused child qualifies as a compelling circumstance.

Appellate Information

• Decided 06/09/2009
• Published 06/09/2009

Judges

• MURPHY, Circuit Judge., Before WOLLMAN, JOHN R. GIBSON, and MURPHY, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Eighth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Mark E. Ford (argued), Fort Smith, AR, for appellant.


• For Appellees:
  
• William Walker O'Connor, argued, Adrienne L. Barnett, on the brief, Tulsa, OK, for appellee.