Opinion ID: 1859882
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Derrick's Leg Restraints

Text: ¶ 38. At trial, Derrick wore a leg brace under his clothes. He did not have outward shackles, handcuffs or leg irons. The trial court ordered that Derrick would be provided street clothes and not wear prison garb. Derrick's attorney objected to the leg brace. The trial court heard Derrick's motion. The trial court allowed the leg brace and stated that the leg brace had been allowed to be used in every case before the court. The trial court found that Derrick walked into the chambers like everyone else and that the leg brace had not had an effect on other defendants. ¶ 39. Derrick cites Rush v. State, 301 So.2d 297, 300 (Miss.1974), contending that a defendant is to be free of all manner of shackles and bonds whether of hands or feet when in the presence of the jury except where there is evident danger of escape or to protect others from attack by a prisoner. Id. In Rush, the defendant was brought into the courtroom in the jury's presence wearing visible handcuffs. This Court held that this would not prejudice the defendant's right to a fair trial. Id. ¶ 40. The State's position in the case sub judice was that leg restraints were requested as policy in all capital murder cases. There is no unqualified right to appear unrestrained before the jury. Id.; Coffield v. State, 749 So.2d 215, 218 (Miss. Ct.App.1999). Restraining procedures ought to be at the minimum level that will address the concern before the court. Id. at 219. A defendant may be shackled to protect the safety of those in the courtroom, to deprive a flight-prone defendant from fleeing, or to preserve an orderly trial from a disruptive defendant. Id. at 218-219. ¶ 41. In the discussion in chambers, the trial judge in the case sub judice addressed the fact that the court had ordered that no visible restraints and no prison garb was allowed. No abuse of judicial discretion was demonstrated. Puckett v. Stuckey, 633 So.2d 978, 982 (Miss.1993). Findings of fact by the circuit court may not be disturbed unless manifestly wrong or clearly erroneous. Id. at 982. ¶ 42. We find that the trial court did not err in allowing the leg restraints on Derrick. Nothing presented supports the argument that Derrick was prejudiced by the trial court's decision to allow the leg restraints.