Court Opinion

ID: 9772946
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 17:33:52.778352+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:31:49.455865
License: Public Domain

John I. Purtle, Justice, dissenting. The majority opinion surgarcoats two important issues: 1) the appellant was compelled to stand trial before a jury in prison garb; and 2) the state’s chief witness “volunteered” a statement about the defense attorney’s coming to see him and offering to plea bargain. First I will discuss the matter of the appellant being compelled to wear prison clothing before he was convicted on the charge being tried. The clothing was a bright orange jumpsuit with a target on the back and the word “jail” written across the target. Before any witness was called or evidence admitted the appellant moved for a mistrial because of the prison clothing. The court denied the motion because it was not timely. It was established that the appellant’s civilian clothing could not be found by the sheriff. The appellant had no choice but to wear the only clothing furnished him. Surely the trial court, the prosecuting attorney, or the sheriff was aware that a trial was coming up and that it would be illegal to force the prisoner to stand trial in prison garb. Estelle v. Williams, 425 U.S. 501 (1976). A person in the appellant’s position was not able to change the situation. Only those charged with the duty of giving the appellant a fair and impartial trial were in a position to prevent such an occurrence. In my opinion it was not ineffective assistance of counsel to anticipate that the appellant’s constitutional rights would be protected. The fact that counsel waited a few minutes or failed to notice prior to the start of the trial should not prevent the assertion of the appellant’s right to be tried in civil clothing. The appellant was compelled to go through the entire trial wearing prison clothing. It was a constant reminder to the jury that they were trying a man who was already a prisoner. A suspect who is given his rights warning may cease to talk at any point and claim his Fifth Amendment right to refrain from talking further. Likewise a prisoner should be allowed to elect to wear civilian clothing at any time during the trial. Next I wish to point out the prejudice of the state’s chief witness volunteering to mention the appellant’s efforts to work out a plea bargain. The prosecutor asked his chief witness if the man who robbed him was in the room and the answer was in the affirmative. The exact questions and answers are reproduced in the majority opinion. If the matter had been planned it could not have worked better. Therefore, this court now condones the perfect manner in which to inject improper and prejudicial material into the trial without fear of being forced to retry the case in a fair and impartial manner. The court admonished the jury to disregard the statement and this court approves such procedure as a cure for the error. On or about this same date we found prejudicial a statement of a trial judge that certain evidence was very suspect. Tandy Corporation v. Bone, 283 Ark. 399, 678 S.W.2d 312 (1984). To affirm one and reverse the other is inconsistent, in my opinion. Our Uniform Rule of Evidence 410 specifically prohibits an offer to plea bargain from being introduced in civil or criminal cases. The purpose of this rule and similar rules is to promote candor between the parties and to enhance the chances of successful settlement negotiations. Mo. Pac. R.R. v. Arkansas Sheriff’s Boys’ Ranch, 280 Ark. 53, 655 S.W.2d 389 (1983); Cantlin v. Pavlovich, 265 Ark. 654, 580 S.W.2d 190 (1979); U.S. v. Grant, 622 F.2d 308 (8th Cir. 1980). I agree with the majority that Wilson v. State, 253 Ark. 10, 484 S.W.2d 82 (1972) declares that reference by the prosecuting attorney to an offer to plea bargain is highly prejudicial. In Wilson the testimony relating to a plea bargain was given by the prosecuting witness. In reversing the verdict this court stated: “Plea bargaining is alien to jury trials and many reasons should be obvious why offers and counteroffers in plea bargaining have no place whatever in the evidence at jury trials.” In view of the express provisions of Rule 410 and prior precedent this case should be reversed and remanded for a new trial.