The People of the State of New York v. Emil Best

Summary

The New York Court of Appeals affirmed Emil Best's conviction, holding that the rule prohibiting visible restraints without a case‑specific justification applies to bench trials and that the trial court's failure to state such a justification was a constitutional error that was harmless given the overwhelming evidence of guilt. Chief Judge Lippman dissented, arguing the error was not harmless and warranted reversal.