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Peary v. Connecticut

441 U.S. 966 Court SCOTUS Decision date 1979-05-21 Docket No. 78-1380 English

Decision Majority · Dissent — Marshall J.

Contents

Majority

p. 966
No. 78-1380.
Peary, aka Peay v. Connecticut.

Sup. Ct. Conn. Certiorari denied.

dissenting.

Petitioner challenges the admission into evidence of a partially masked mug shot. In my view, displaying to the jury a mug shot of a criminal defendant creates the same potential for prejudice as forcing him to stand trial in prison attire. See Estelle v. Williams, 425 U. S. 501 , 503-506 (1976). Particularly since the Connecticut Supreme Court conceded that the mug shot of petitioner was of “limited probative value,” its use at trial raises substantial questions under the Sixth and

Dissent — Marshall J.

p. 967
Fourteenth Amendments. Accordingly, I would grant cer-tiorari and set the case for argument.

Cases cited

Statutes and regulations cited