Court Opinion

ID: 9686192
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 15:33:18.487468+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:18:15.873984
License: Public Domain

BARHAM, Justice
(dissenting).
The trial of these defendants took place in East Feliciana Parish, and some of them were apparently transported directly into the courtroom there from the East Baton Rouge Parish jail. Bills of exceptions were reserved when they were forced to appear for trial in the gray and white striped blue denim tmiforms worn by inmates of that jail. The majority here, like the trial judge in per curiam, has attempted to excuse the dress forced upon these defendants by saying that it was not too dissimilar to that worn by “some carpenters and similar craftsmen”. Regardless of the opinion and the per curiam, these defendants wore the official garb of prisoners in the East Baton Rouge Parish jail, and this is admitted; and the jurors, who were reasonable, sensible persons, were certainly aware that these defendants were prisoners already incarcerated. Without citing cases throughout the country dealing with such a situation, I simply conclude *963that it is improper, especially in this day and time, to present a defendant before a jury in prison uniform.
I also dissent from the majority’s holding on the bill of exceptions which disclosed that the attorney for one of the defendants became involved in the case for the first time on the morning of the trial. I am not concerned with whether the motion for continuance was in writing or not. This defendant was sentenced to nine years in the state penitentiary. No matter how competent counsel may be as to legal ability, he was not competent to represent this defendant when he had had no opportunity for counseling with the defendant or investigating the case. This is a denial of due process, and the technical requirement that the motion for continuance be in writing must yield to the constitutional requirement of due process.