Commonwealth v. Conley

WINTERSHEIMER, Justice.

This appeal is from a decision of the Court of Appeals which reversed and remanded a conviction for first-degree burglary because the circuit judge had ordered the defendant to wear leg shackles during the trial. Conley had been convicted of first-degree burglary and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The issue is whether the circuit judge abused his discretion in ordering Conley to be shackled throughout the trial. The question presented by the Commonwealth is whether repeated and forceful admonitions to the jury to disregard the shackles, together with the overwhelming…