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Elizabeth Stawicki
St. Paul, Minn.

Appeals court upholds judge's decision to ID visitors

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The Minnesota Court of Appeals has upheld a Ramsey County judge's decision that required visitors to identify themselves to deputy sheriffs before being allowed into the courtroom.

A man appealed his sentence on grounds the judge violated his constitutional right to a public trial.

During and after Jerome Cross' plea hearing for second-degree murder in November 2007, there were altercations between visitors in and outside the courtroom. Deputies said a drive-by shooting a few blocks from the courthouse was also related.

To prevent similar incidents at Cross' sentencing and to aid in any further investigation, Judge Robert Awsumb required visitors to ID themselves to deputies. If they had no ID, visitors had to give their names and be photographed.

Cross appealed, arguing that Awsumb violated his 6th Amendment right to a public trial. The court of appeals disagreed because the security measures did not result in excluding anyone from Cross' hearing.