Washington Supreme Court Reverses Murder Conviction

The Washington Supreme Court has reversed the first degree murder conviction of a defendant because it was unfair to hold his trial at the county jail rather than the courthouse.  James Frank Jaime was convicted of the murder of a man during a 2005 drug deal.  The judge agreed to hold the trial in a courtroom at the jail because he agreed with prosecutors that security reasons required this.  The Washington Supreme Court found that there was no reason on the record to justify those security concerns.  The court found that holding the trial at the jail courtroom was prejudicial to the murder defendant.  Similar to letting the jury see the defendant in shackles.  The court was also troubled by the fact that the judge lied to the jury as to why the trial was being held in the jail by telling them that it was for administrative and space reasons.

For more information about the Chicago criminal defense attorneys at Legal Defenders, P.C., visit us at www.thelegaldefenders.com or call us anytime at 1-800-228-7295.