General Discussion

MADem

(135,425 posts)

34. The cops are going to wear civilian clothes. It's in the article.

Tue Nov 10, 2015, 10:13 PM

Nov 2015

As I said elsewhere here, I recently attended a trial where family of the victim were warned ahead of time, by the prosecution, to not wear any visual references to the victim--e.g. t-shirts with photos or names, etc. We were told we wouldn't be admitted if we did (and we were the aggrieved party).

The first responders at that trial (and there were three police that testified, as well as a fireman-EMT and the Fire Chief-also an EMT) ALL wore civilian clothes. Every last one of them. I don't remember a ruling about that, I did attend most of the preliminary hearings, but that may have been worked out in chambers.

In any event there were NO uniforms in the courtroom, save those of the baliffs and the guys who came to cuff/drag the guilty bastard off to jail after sentencing.

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Judge bans Black Lives Matter clothing from courtroom [View all] applegrove Nov 2015 OP

NO racism in America, remember? randys1 Nov 2015 #1

I don't agree with the judge in this case SickOfTheOnePct Nov 2015 #14

Since when do police have to not wear uniforms? One should never change the rules of the justice applegrove Nov 2015 #2

Just wear them inside out! VanillaRhapsody Nov 2015 #3

No, they need to sue that judge, or whatever to protect their 1st Amendment rights brush Nov 2015 #4

I am sure the ACLU will get involved...but in the short term... VanillaRhapsody Nov 2015 #7

The ACLU can get involved all they want, GGJohn Nov 2015 #11

Agreed. Volaris Nov 2015 #20

Agreed. eom. GGJohn Nov 2015 #21

court rooms should be a neutral space IMO. or would you all like cheerleaders and marching msongs Nov 2015 #5

I agree... chillfactor Nov 2015 #6

I agree to disagree. IMO a judge should not be able to trump First Admendment rights. brush Nov 2015 #10

Judges have to be able to trump First Amendment rights SickOfTheOnePct Nov 2015 #12

Without an efficient and functional Justice System, tho.. Volaris Nov 2015 #22

He should require cops to wear civilian clothes. backscatter712 Nov 2015 #28

The cops are going to wear civilian clothes. It's in the article. MADem Nov 2015 #34

This. I clerked for two trial court judges hifiguy Nov 2015 #16

AMEN! N/T chillfactor Nov 2015 #29

It's a given that free speech rights don't apply in a courtroom SickOfTheOnePct Nov 2015 #8

Most courtrooms ban shorts, halter tops, sandels, GGJohn Nov 2015 #9

White Power shirts are not the same as Black Lives Matter shirts. One is talking about exclusive applegrove Nov 2015 #13

I'm not saying they're the same, GGJohn Nov 2015 #15

And both are equally unacceptable in a courtroom. hifiguy Nov 2015 #17

It doesn't matter SickOfTheOnePct Nov 2015 #18

I agree the judge has every right to do it, but it is wrong. If you have to change what police wear applegrove Nov 2015 #19

No kidding? linuxman Nov 2015 #23

I don't think a shirt saying who you are, means a circus. applegrove Nov 2015 #24

The judge disagrees, GGJohn Nov 2015 #25

It's a political statement, and politicizes a court environment. linuxman Nov 2015 #26

Yup. nt hifiguy Nov 2015 #27

THANK YOU! chillfactor Nov 2015 #30

Yes. 840high Nov 2015 #31

Yes it does. Throd Nov 2015 #35

This is apparently standard guidance in commonwealth courtrooms. MADem Nov 2015 #32

So sorry for your loss. I have not spent more than 10 minutes in a courtroom. I stand corrected. applegrove Nov 2015 #33

We got justice. That's all we could hope for. Can't bring back the dead, sadly. MADem Nov 2015 #36

a courtroom is not an appropriate place for demonstrations Lil Missy Nov 2015 #37