Opinion ID: 1643011
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Shackling Issue

Text: Bryant claims that he was improperly shackled during his trial and that trial counsel failed to object and preserve this issue for appeal. Specifically, Bryant claims that counsel failed to (1) dispute the bad acts upon which the decision to shackle was based; (2) submit evidence or witness statements supporting Bryant's current appropriate behavior; and (3) argue for less restrictive and prejudicial methods of restraint. Bryant's claims are procedurally barred because they were preserved for appeal and argued before this Court on direct appeal. On direct appeal, we stated the facts relative to the shackling issue: Prior to trial, the court ordered that Bryant be restrained, based principally upon Bryant's actions after his first trial where, upon hearing the verdict, he threw a chair in the direction of the prosecutor and jury, struggled with bailiffs, and shouted profanities while having to be forcibly restrained. The court offered Bryant the opportunity to wear an electronic belt which could be concealed underneath Bryant's clothing, in lieu of visible leg and waist restraints. Although Bryant objected to wearing any kind of restraints, he did initially agree to wear the electronic belt. On the day of the trial, however, Bryant refused to wear the electronic belt and requested not to be present if he was to be restrained. After a brief absence from the courtroom, Bryant requested that he be allowed back into the trial and, although he again objected to the use of any restraints, agreed to wear the leg and waist restraintswhich he did for the remainder of the trial. Bryant, 785 So.2d at 429. Bryant argued before this Court that an evidentiary hearing should have been held on the issue of whether restraints were necessary. We agreed. Id. at 429. We also held, however, that any error was harmless. Id. Judge Mounts, who presided over both trials, personally witnessed Bryant throw a twenty-six pound chair twelve feet through the air in the direction of the prosecutor and jury at the first trial and, therefore, had firsthand knowledge of Bryant's incidents of inappropriate and dangerous courtroom behavior. Id. at 429-30. We concluded that under these circumstances any error in not holding an evidentiary hearing was harmless. Id. at 430. The trial court allowed Bryant to wear a concealed electronic belt instead of visible shackles, and trial counsel objected when Bryant was forced to wear restraints. Id. at 429. Because Judge Mounts had previously witnessed Bryant's violent behavior in the courtroom, trial counsel cannot be faulted for failing to obtain a favorable ruling on the need for some type of restraint. Moreover, because Bryant refused to wear the concealed restraining belt, counsel cannot be faulted for Bryant's appearance before the jury in shackles. The issue was presented on the merits to the trial court and on direct appeal before this Court and is therefore procedurally barred.