Kan. Admin. Regs. § 44-13-404 - Presence of inmate and presence of charging officer at disciplinary hearings; officer statements in lieu of testimony
(a) The inmate
shall be present at all stages of the disciplinary hearing and disposition
except as otherwise provided by these regulations or by law. Subject to the
provisions of subsection (e), if the inmate is not present, then a staff
assistant shall be assigned in accordance with K.A.R. 44-13-403 and 44-13-408 .
(b)
(1) In class I cases, the charging officer
shall be present in person or by telephone, as determined by the hearing
officer, for direct examination and cross-examination, unless excused by the
hearing officer or unless the inmate has been transferred to another facility.
The hearing officer may excuse the charging officer only if any of the
following is determined:
(A) Facility safety
or correctional goals would be jeopardized.
(B) The charging officer is absent from duty
due to activation for military service.
(C) The charging officer has been separated
from employment with the facility for reasons unconnected to investigation of
the charges or issuance of the disciplinary report.
(D) The charging officer is otherwise
unlikely to be available for testimony within a reasonable time period as
determined by the hearing officer, and a continuance pursuant to K.A.R.
44-13-402 either is not applicable or is not appropriate in the judgment of the
hearing officer.
Facility safety or correctional goals shall not include considerations of mere convenience. If the officer is not present, the officer's report and statement shall be made to the hearing officer in writing under oath. Copies of the report shall be provided to the inmate, and it shall be read aloud at the hearing unless confidentiality is required to protect an inmate accuser, informant, or witness. If the charging officer is excused from appearance, the hearing officer shall document the ground for the excuse and shall likewise document the facts underlying the ground relied upon in the case record.
(2) If
an inmate has been transferred to another facility after a disciplinary report
was written in a class I case, the testimony of the charging officer and other
witnesses regarding that report may be taken by telephone at the discretion of
the hearing officer. Except as provided in K.A.R. 44-13-403(m) and (q), any
testimony taken by telephone shall be taken in a manner that can be heard by
all those present at the hearing, and shall be subject to the same procedures
as though the witness were personally present at the hearing.
(c)
(1) In class II and III cases, the officer's
attendance shall not be required unless deemed necessary by the hearing
officer. The officer's report and statement shall be submitted to the hearing
officer in writing under oath. It shall be read aloud at the hearing, and a
copy shall be given to the inmate unless confidentiality is required to protect
an inmate accuser, informant, or witness according to K.A.R. 44-13-403(m) . If
such confidentiality is required, but it is possible to protect the inmate
accuser, informant, or witness by editing out certain portions of the report
and statement, then those portions shall be edited and the inmate provided with
a copy. The hearing officer may contact the officer, by telephone or radio, to
ask questions or clarify the facts while the hearing is being conducted or
while the matter is being considered for decision.
(2) In all class II and III cases, if the
charging officer requests, the hearing officer shall allow the charging officer
to be present. In such a case, the officer shall be present throughout and
shall be subject to direct examination, confrontation, and cross-examination
unless restricted by the hearing officer according to these regulations.
(d)
(1) The officer's statement under oath shall
consist of the officer's rendition of all the facts of the case resulting from
the charging officer's complete fact investigation. To the best of the
officer's ability, it shall show all relevant and material facts that might be
used to support both the facility's case against the inmate and the inmate's
defense. If the officer is uncertain of a fact, the officer shall state that
with respect to the fact. The charging officer may either adopt or defer under
oath to any official neutral fact investigation report that might be conducted
by another person or may submit the charging officer's own statement in
addition to the investigation report.
(2) Confidential inmate testimony may be
deleted from the statement in lieu of testimony and reported separately. The
hearing officer shall receive any confidential inmate testimony in accordance
with K.A.R. 44-13-403 .
(e) Hearings for inmates detained or held in
administrative or disciplinary segregation status may be conducted by
telephone, with the inmate remaining in the inmate's cell and outside the
immediate physical presence of the hearing officer and any witnesses, including
the reporting officer, at the discretion of the hearing officer. Except as
provided in K.A.R. 44-13-403(m) and (q), any testimony taken by telephone shall
be taken in a manner that allows the testimony to be heard by all those present
at the hearing. The testimony taken by telephone shall be subject to the
procedures governing the testimony of any witness personally present at a
hearing. A staff assistant shall not be required to be appointed to render
assistance to the inmate unless at least one of the circumstances set forth in
K.A.R. 44-13-403 or 44-13-408 is present. The inmate shall be permitted to
submit written motions, exhibits, or affidavits on the inmate's behalf to the
hearing officer to the extent and under the circumstances applicable to
documentary presentations under these regulations.
Notes
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