District Judge, Richard Scotti, ruled that Morgan's numerous Nazi-themed face tattoos should be covered from the neck up, because prosecutors are concerned that jurors will not give the 24-year-old a fair hearing when they see them.
The robbery suspect has the words 'Most Wanted' inked across his forehead, a 'teardrop tattoo' - which can indicate that the wearer has killed someone or lost a fellow gang member - under his left eye, the phrase 'Baby Nazi' tattooed on his neck, a swastika in a four leaf clover on his cheek, an Iron Cross on the back of his bald head, along with 'skin head' - a reference to Neo Nazis - tattooed where his eyebrows should be.
The court took the unusual decision after a group of potential jurors admitted they could not be fair and impartial after seeing the racist tattoos. According to most of them, certain tattoos like the 'teardrop' signified that the wearer 'did something inappropriate, or did something that was not acceptable to society. Also, the designs would make them nervous in court.
Facing bias from the jury, the judge delayed the trial. 'How is this man supposed to get a fair trial if everybody comes in here and thinks they might be influenced by the tattoos?' he asked. Taking a decision, he ordered that all the suspect's tattoos to be hidden from the jury. Hence, every morning before the trial, a cosmetologist will spend two hours applying makeup to cover up the tattoos.
Source: Mail Online
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