State of Missouri v. Jacob Hilbert

Summary

The Court affirmed Hilbert's convictions after finding no plain error in the circuit court's decision to conduct a bench trial or admit the victim's forensic interview recording. Although Hilbert was not personally questioned before trial and did not execute a written jury waiver, the record as a whole established that his waiver was knowing, voluntary, and intelligent. The recording was properly admitted because its existence and the forensic interviewer's testimony established the statutory foundational requirements.