MAX train double murder defendant Jeremy Christian told a judge Tuesday that he will wear his blue jail uniform throughout jury selection and the trial that will follow.
Christian, 37, said he doesn’t want to put on a show for jurors by wearing regular clothes. He said he’s going to trial to tell the world his side of the story about the fatal stabbings of two men on the train.
“If I wear (civilian) clothes, I’d be lying to the jury,” Christian said. "... I don’t care how much time I spend in prison. … All I care about is the public gets to see and hear what happened on the train.”
Tuesday was the first of what’s expected to be five days of jury selection, followed by five weeks of testimony, argument and deliberations into the guilt or innocence of Christian.
He is charged with the first-degree murders of Ricky Best and Taliesin Namkai-Meche on a packed Green Line train on May 26, 2017. He also is charged with attempted first-degree murder for seriously wounding a third passenger, Micah Fletcher, by stabbing him in the neck and second-degree intimidation for allegedly launching into a hate-filled tirade against two teenage girls, one who was wearing a hijab.
Multnomah County Circuit Judge Cheryl Albrecht told Christian that defendants typically don civilian clothes -- a dress shirt, tie and sometimes a suit jacket for male defendants -- while on trial. They have a right to do so to reduce any likelihood that jurors might brand them a criminal before hearing all the evidence.
“The concern is that jail clothing carries the stigma of guilt,” Albrecht said as she asked him about his choice of attire.
Christian said he understood and it is indeed his choice to move forward in what essentially are blue scrubs with “JAIL” stamped on the back.
Christian also shared his perspective on being charged and held in the case. “I understand that I’ve been held against my Eighth Amendment right against my will," he said. The Eighth Amendment protects people from cruel and unusual punishment.
Despite Christian’s choice, court officials took measures to obscure his ankle cuffs, which remained on during jury selection. A black tablecloth had been draped over the sides of the table where Christian sat, so jurors couldn’t see the shackles.
-- Aimee Green
o_aimee
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