Posted on 03/27/2007 3:31:23 PM PDT by SmithL
San Francisco (AP) -- A federal appeals court said Tuesday it would not revisit its September decision that supported a U.S. Marshals Service policy of shackling detained defendants' legs when they make their initial federal court appearance in Los Angeles.
The case, brought by more than a dozen defendants, has been ongoing since 2003.
In 2005, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the automatic shackling of defendants in the Los Angeles federal courthouse. At the time, the court said it would approve of such a plan only with "adequate justification."
But a three-judge panel of the circuit court agreed in September with security officials that the policy was indeed warranted.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
They must have heard about Atlanta and did not want to get shot. Smart.
As long as the defendant isn't seen in the courtroom in shackles by a jury, it's OK.
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