Objective coverage of church-state and religious liberty developments, with extensive links to primary sources.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Court Upholds Ban on Defendant Displaying Bible To Jury
In People v. Williams, (App. Div., Sept. 16, 2008), in a brief opinion, a New York appellate court concluded that a murder defendant's free exercise rights were not violated when the trial judge prohibited him from displaying his Bible in the presence of the jury. The court held that the state had a compelling interest in assuring a fair trial for both sides in the case in which defendant was convicted second degree murder of his 5-week old son.