Opinion ID: 1920803
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Claim V: Shackling

Text: Hill next claims that his constitutional rights were violated when he and his codefendant, Clifford Jackson, were shackled during the penalty phase. The trial court properly denied this claim as procedurally barred. First, there is absolutely no evidence in the record that Hill was ever shackled during the penalty phase. Second, this claim is certainly not based upon newly discovered evidence. Even assuming that Hill was shackled during the penalty phase in 1986, he knew it, and the law of Florida has long provided a basis for the relief he now seeks. Since at least 1987, the law in Florida has been that shackling a defendant during the penalty phase without ensuring that his due process rights are protected is a sufficient ground for reversing a death sentence. See Elledge v. Dugger, 823 F.2d 1439, 1450-51 (11th Cir.1987). Therefore, Hill's assertion that he could not have brought this claim until after the United States Supreme Court decision in Deck v. Missouri, 544 U.S. 622, 125 S.Ct. 2007, 161 L.Ed.2d 953 (2005), is without merit. We affirm the trial court's denial of this claim under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.851(e)(2)(B).