United States Ninth Circuit

Sheriffs may use stun belts on criminal defendants if defendants present a risk to courtroom security, but not if a defendant is merely disruptive.

Appellate Information

• Argued 11/02/1999
• Decided 05/30/2001
• Published 05/30/2001

Judges

• JAMES R. BROWNING, Circuit Judge:, Before:  BROWNING and TASHIMA, Circuit Judges, and KING, District Judge.

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Lowell V. Sturgill, Jr., U.S. Dept. of justice, Civ. Div., Appellate Staff, Washington, DC, for amicus Curiae United States., Paul L. Hoffman, Bostwick & Hoffman, LLP, Santa Monica, CA, and William J. Aceves, San Diego, California, for amicus curiae Amnesty International.


• For Appellees:
  
• Michael D. Fitts, (briefed and argued) Greines, Martin, Stein & Richland LLP, Beverly Hills, California;  Kevin C. Brazile, Deputy County Counsel, County of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, for the defendant-appellant., Stephen Yagman, Joseph Reichmann, Marion R. Yagman, Kathryn S. Bloomingfield, Yagman & Yagman & Reichmann, Venice Beach, California, Richard H. Millard, Los Angeles, California, for the plaintiff-appellee.