Allen v. Commonwealth

Opinion of the Court by

Chief Justice MINTON.

During jury selection, members of the murder victim’s family appeared in the courtroom wearing t-shirts imprinted with a photograph of the victim and the words, “In loving memory.” Charles Allen, who was on trial for the murder, argues that the trial court erred when it refused to discharge the entire venire following the t-shirt display. Raising this and other issues, Allen contends that he did not receive a fair trial and that we should re verse his wanton murder conviction and sentence.

We decline to hold that this display of message-bearing…