Opinion ID: 1787540
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: jury instruction on knight's absence from courtroom

Text: Knight was removed from the courtroom on a daily basis due to his refusal to remain silent. Nevertheless, Knight contends on appeal that the judge's explanation to the jury that the proceedings were not started on time because he would not conform to accepted courtroom behavior was unfairly prejudicial. Our review of the record reveals that the trial judge bent over backwards to accord Knight his right to be present in the courtroom. Despite rambling monologues and general obstructionist conduct, the trial judge let Knight return to the courtroom every morning for another opportunity to behave properly and remain for the proceeding. However, without exception, Knight daily refused to obey the judge's instruction that he remain silent until the proper time. The judge was remarkably patient, even allowing a lengthy, uninterrupted monologue by Knight on the second day of voir dire, January 24, 1996. Shortly thereafter, Knight was again removed from the courtroom for refusing to obey the judge's instructions. Even then, the judge resolved to give Knight a daily opportunity to act acceptably in court. [11] Moreover, the judge's actions were consistent with this Court's case law, as well as United States Supreme Court precedent. See Illinois v. Allen, 397 U.S. 337, 343, 90 S.Ct. 1057, 25 L.Ed.2d 353 (1970) (The flagrant disregard in the courtroom of elementary standards of proper conduct should not and cannot be tolerated. We believe trial judges confronted with disruptive, contumacious, stubbornly defiant defendants must be given sufficient discretion to meet the circumstances of each case.); Valdes v. State, 626 So.2d 1316, 1321 (Fla.1993) (pronouncing that [t]rial judges must be given sufficient discretion to meet the circumstances of each case where a defendant disrupts the proceedings); Diaz v. State, 513 So.2d 1045, 1047 (Fla.1987) (applying Allen in finding that the court's obligation to maintain safety and security in the courtroom outweighs, under proper circumstances, the risk that the security measures may impair the defendant's presumption of innocence); accord Joseph v. State, 625 So.2d 109 (Fla. 3d DCA 1993). We find no error in the judge's instruction to the jury. From the record it is apparent that Knight had every opportunity to remain in the courtroom, but chose to misbehave. Indeed, his consistently obstinate behavior, which he undoubtedly knew would cause his exclusion from the courtroom, also borders on invited error. See San Martin v. State, 705 So.2d 1337, 1347 (Fla.1997) (prohibiting party from inviting error and then complaining about it on appeal). Accordingly, we find that the judge acted within his discretion in repeatedly removing Knight from the courtroom, especially considering the testimony of numerous guards and jailhouse officials that Knight's out-of-court demeanor was completely at odds with his in-court histrionics. The judge's explanation to the jury was reasonable because it accurately reflected the obvious ongoing dilemma of the trial court in balancing Knight's rights with the need to maintain proper order and decorum in the courtroom.