State v. Thornton & Dunbar

Summary

The court reversed the intermediate appellate court’s reversal of Thornton’s and Dunbar’s convictions because admission of the firearms examiner’s unqualified opinion was not clear or obvious error under plain-error review, particularly given the unsettled law and the absence of a Daubert record. It also held that the courtroom closures were not de minimis but were justified because the trial court adequately applied the requirements governing closures to protect juror safety and deliberations. The case was remanded for consideration of any remaining claims.