Does “the Perp Walk” violate prisoners sixth amendment rights?
A police car pulls up to a curb, and a prisoner is let out. Handcuffed and ushered by two police officers, he is swarmed by reporters. The prisoner keeps his head down and tries to cover his face. Cameras flash, reporters shout, and microphones are extended until he reaches the end of the gauntlet, entering the courthouse.It’s sometimes called “the perp walk,” and is a practical thing above all else. People charged with a crime must attend their trial and members of the press must get a quote from the accused or their lawyers. The couple hundred feet between the curb and court is often the meeting place of these two needs. But as digital news makes this scene more immediately widespread, does “the perp walk” infringe on the prisoner’s right to a fair trial?
