Opinion ID: 2076252
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Sequestration of Hunt's Family

Text: Finally, Hunt contends that his allocution was denigrated because his family was not allowed to be present. They were witnesses at the sentencing hearing and were subject to a sequestration order. The trial judge denied Hunt's motion to lift the sequestration order so that his family could attend his allocution. The conduct of criminal trials falls within the sound discretion of the trial judge which will not be disturbed absent a clear abuse of discretion. Hunt, 312 Md. at 500, 540 A.2d at 1128. Two of the four members of Hunt's family had broken down in tears during their testimony. The trial judge was in the best position to determine if allowing the family members into the courtroom would have caused a disturbance or have impacted on security. Cf. Hunt, 312 Md. at 501, 540 A.2d at 1128. Furthermore, failure to allow the witnesses into the courtroom, if error, was harmless error. There is no reason to believe that his family's presence would somehow have lent additional weight or credibility to Hunt's allocution or that their absence would have the opposite effect.