context: Other courts have found such an error to be harmless where there was overwhelming evidence of the defendant's guilt.
citation_a.signal: but see
citation_a.identifier: 66 Ill. 2d 269, 269
citation_a.parenthetical: Supreme Court of Illinois reversed the defendant's conviction, on a guilty plea of murder, where he was erroneously required to be handcuffed and shackled during his competency hearing stating "[hjowever strong the evidence against an accused may be, ... a fair trial, in all its stages, is a fundamental requirement in a criminal prosecution and when such a requirement is not met, it amounts to a denial of due process of law"
citation_a.sentence: See State ex rel. Cockerham v. Butler, 515 So. 2d 1134 (La. Ct. App. 1987) (error harmless where three victims identified the defendant and the jury saw the defendant in handcuffs for only a short period of time); State v. Johnson, 489 So. 2d 301 (La. Ct. App. 1986) (error was harmless in view of the five eyewitnesses and the substantial proof presented against the defendant); People v. Jacla, 77 Cal. App. 3d 878, 144 Cal. Rptr. 23 (1978) (error was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt although the defendant was shackled throughout the trial); Zygadlo v. State, 341 So. 2d 1053 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1977) (the court stated that although leg shackles were used on the accused during his trial, the record disclosed overwhelming evidence of his guilt); People v. Prado, 67 Cal. App. 3d 267, 136 Cal. Rptr. 521 (1977) (error harmless beyond a reasonable doubt based on the compelling evidence against the defendant); Chandler v. State, 92 Nev. 299, 550 P.2d 159 (1976) (error harmless where the defendant confessed to the murder not only to an FBI agent but also in a letter written to the victim’s wife); People v. Thompson, 23 Cal. App. 2d 339, 72 P.2d 927 (1937) (although the defendant was placed in leg irons throughout the trial evidence of guilt was overwhelming and thus reversal was not warranted); but see Boose, 66 Ill. 2d at 269 (Supreme Court of Illinois reversed the defendant’s conviction, on a guilty plea of murder, where he was erroneously required to be handcuffed and shackled during his competency hearing stating “[hjowever strong the evidence against an accused may be, ... a fair trial, in all its stages, is a fundamental requirement in a criminal prosecution and when such a requirement is not met, it amounts to a denial of due process of law”).
citation_b.signal: see
citation_b.parenthetical: although the defendant was placed in leg irons throughout the trial evidence of guilt was overwhelming and thus reversal was not warranted
citation_b.sentence: See State ex rel. Cockerham v. Butler, 515 So. 2d 1134 (La. Ct. App. 1987) (error harmless where three victims identified the defendant and the jury saw the defendant in handcuffs for only a short period of time); State v. Johnson, 489 So. 2d 301 (La. Ct. App. 1986) (error was harmless in view of the five eyewitnesses and the substantial proof presented against the defendant); People v. Jacla, 77 Cal. App. 3d 878, 144 Cal. Rptr. 23 (1978) (error was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt although the defendant was shackled throughout the trial); Zygadlo v. State, 341 So. 2d 1053 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1977) (the court stated that although leg shackles were used on the accused during his trial, the record disclosed overwhelming evidence of his guilt); People v. Prado, 67 Cal. App. 3d 267, 136 Cal. Rptr. 521 (1977) (error harmless beyond a reasonable doubt based on the compelling evidence against the defendant); Chandler v. State, 92 Nev. 299, 550 P.2d 159 (1976) (error harmless where the defendant confessed to the murder not only to an FBI agent but also in a letter written to the victim’s wife); People v. Thompson, 23 Cal. App. 2d 339, 72 P.2d 927 (1937) (although the defendant was placed in leg irons throughout the trial evidence of guilt was overwhelming and thus reversal was not warranted); but see Boose, 66 Ill. 2d at 269 (Supreme Court of Illinois reversed the defendant’s conviction, on a guilty plea of murder, where he was erroneously required to be handcuffed and shackled during his competency hearing stating “[hjowever strong the evidence against an accused may be, ... a fair trial, in all its stages, is a fundamental requirement in a criminal prosecution and when such a requirement is not met, it amounts to a denial of due process of law”).