Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/boundvolumes/558bv.pdf
Page Number: 371

210 

PRESLEY  v.  GEORGIA 

Per Curiam 

Before  selecting  a  jury  in  Presley’s  trial,  the  trial  court 
noticed a lone courtroom observer.  Id., at 270–271, 674 S. E. 
2d,  at  910.  The  court  explained  that  prospective  jurors 
were about to enter and instructed the man that he was not 
allowed  in  the  courtroom  and  had  to  leave  that  ﬂoor  of  the 
courthouse  entirely.  Id.,  at  271,  674  S.  E.  2d,  at  910.  The 
court then questioned the man and learned he was Presley’s 
uncle.  Ibid.  The court reiterated its instruction: 

“ ‘Well,  you  still  can’t  sit  out  in  the  audience  with  the 
jurors.  You know, most of the afternoon actually we’re 
going  to  be  picking  a  jury.  And  we  may  have  a  couple 
of pre-trial matters,  so you’re welcome to  come in after 
we . . . complete selecting the jury this afternoon.  But, 
otherwise,  you  would  have  to  leave  the  sixth  ﬂoor,  be­
cause  jurors  will  be  all  out  in  the  hallway  in  a  few  mo­
ments.  That  applies  to  everybody  who’s  got  a  case.’ ” 
Ibid. 

Presley’s  counsel  objected  to  “ ‘the  exclusion  of  the  public 
from the courtroom,’ ” but the court explained, “ ‘[t]here just 
isn’t  space  for  them  to  sit  in  the  audience.’ ”  Ibid.  When 
Presley’s  counsel  requested  “ ‘some  accommodation,’ ”  the 
court explained its ruling further: 

“ ‘Well,  the  uncle  can  certainly  come  back  in  once  the 
trial starts.  There’s  no, really  no need  for the  uncle to 
be present during jury selection. . . . [W]e have 42 jurors 
coming  up.  Each  of  those  rows  will  be  occupied  by  ju­
rors.  And  his  uncle  cannot  sit  and  intermingle  with 
members of the jury panel.  But, when the trial starts, 
the  opening  statements  and  other  matters,  he  can  cer­
tainly come back into the courtroom.’ ”  Ibid. 

After  Presley  was  convicted,  he  moved  for  a  new  trial 
based on the exclusion of the public from the juror voir dire. 
At  a  hearing  on  the  motion,  Presley  presented  evidence 
showing that 14 prospective jurors could have ﬁt in the jury