Court Opinion

ID: 9796756
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 04:04:13.56702+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:51:30.190939
License: Public Domain

A. JOHNSON, Judge,
Dissenting:
1 I dissent for the reasons well expressed in Judge Chapel's dissenting opinion.
T2 Providing visual aids for the jury is a common trial practice. Done right, it focuses the jurors' attention, enhances their understanding, and sharpens their memory. Done right, it is an important part of a fair and well run trial
T3 Here, in the image of an American courtroom plastered with poster-size trial notes taken by the prosecutor, we see the practice gone badly wrong.
1 4 The process allowed the prosecution, in effect, a continuous closing argument, and may well have violated the rule of sequestration of witnesses. This Court cannot judge the effect of the process on this defendant's right to a fair trial with any assurance because the trial court refused the defendant's request to have the posters and their placement in the courtroom made part of the appellate record. Under those cireum-stances, we should not assume this error was harmless.