State v. Artwell

The opinion of the Court was delivered by

ZAZZALI, J.

In this appeal we must determine whether the trial court’s requirement that a defense witness appear before the jury in restraints and prison garb violates a defendant’s right to a fair trial. This matter arose during defendant’s prosecution for certain drug offenses. Over defendant’s objection,-the trial court required one of defendant’s witnesses to testify before the. jury in handcuffs and prison garb. Defendant appealed the conviction and sentence and the Appellate Division affirmed. We conclude that the trial court’s failure to state on…