Opinion ID: 2460345
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Bystanders in Jail Clothing

Text: Similarly, in the few cases we found where a prisoner was brought into the courtroom but not called as a witness, the courts questioned the practice but found the potential prejudice to be less than that caused by a defendant in jail clothing appearing before a jury. For example, in Hedrick v. State, 6 So.3d 688 (Fla.Dist.App.2009), the defendant claimed that defense counsel should have objected to the codefendants appearing at trial in shackles and prison clothing. The codefendants were brought into the courtroom during the testimony of one of the victims, who identified the defendant as the tallest of the attackers. The State demonstrated the accuracy of this opinion by displaying the codefendants. The defendant's motion alleged that the jury may have perceived him as guilty by association because the codefendants' appearance in prison clothing and shackles indicated that they were in custody. Yet, the Hedrick court stated that the defendant failed to show prejudice. The court observed that the defense was that the co-defendants were the ones who had beaten the victim, and the defendant was merely a bystander. The court determined that [t]he co-defendants' appearance in prison garb had no bearing on the defense. Hedrick, 6 So.3d at 694. In addition, the Hedrick court cited to a Mississippi decision, Morgan v. State, 818 So.2d 1163 (Miss.2002), in which the court considered the possible error of a State's witness appearing before the jury in shackles or jail clothing. The Mississippi court noted a line of cases holding that it was prejudicial to bring a defendant or a defense witness into the courtroom in shackles or jail clothing but distinguished the cases because the witness was a prosecution witness. Consequently, the court reasoned the defense was not prejudiced by any damage to the witness' credibility. Morgan, 818 So.2d at 1174. Another case, Craig v. State, 761 S.W.2d 89 (Tex.App.1988), is also similar to this case, although the association between the prisoner and the defendant was weaker. In Craig, during the State's case-in-chief, a female witness was called to the stand to establish certain events in a bar, which allegedly occurred before the abduction and killing of the victim. The witness testified that she observed the victim with the defendant and a taller man with long, dark or black hair. Craig, 761 S.W.2d at 93. After the witness was cross-examined by defense counsel, the State brought a male person into the courtroom in jail clothing and leg irons and asked the witness if she recognized him. She responded that she did not. Defense counsel made a motion for mistrial, arguing that the individual's presentation in jail clothing and leg irons was prejudicial. The Texas Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court's denial of the motion and distinguished the case from those where the defendant or a witness is forced to testify in restraints or jail clothing. Craig, 761 S.W.2d at 94-95. The Craig court stated: Under our record, this male person was not identified and was not presented to the jury as a witness. Some male person simply appeared in the courtroom. This person was not placed in the witness box. . . . . . . Under this entire record, we find that the appearance of this male person in the courtroom, in restraint and in jail attire, made no contribution to the conviction or to the punishment of the [defendant] and we so find beyond a reasonable doubt. Craig, 761 S.W.2d at 94. Finally, a nonwitness was brought into the courtroom in Reese v. State, 241 Ga.App. 350, 526 S.E.2d 867 (1999). The defendant argued that bringing a codefendant into the courtroom in jail clothing for the purpose of identification was prejudicial because it associated the defendant with someone convicted of a crime. In rejecting this argument, the court noted that the jury was not told that the codefendant had been convicted. Reese, 241 Ga.App. at 353, 526 S.E.2d 867; see also Cook v. Beto, 425 F.2d 1066, 1066-67 (5th Cir.1970), cert. denied 400 U.S. 944, 91 S.Ct. 248, 27 L.Ed.2d 249 (1970) (summary rejection of habeas corpus claim based on defendant's codefendant being brought into the courtroom for identification while dressed in jail clothing; court found that this resulted in no prejudice to the defendant).