Md. high court will weigh constitutionality of ‘thin blue line’ at trials

Maryland’s top court will consider whether a criminal defendant’s right to an unbiased jury is inherently violated by the courtroom presence of a bailiff wearing a face mask emblazoned with the pro-police “thin blue line” flag during trial. The Court of Appeals agreed Wednesday to review a lower court decision that the symbol does not necessarily indicate the trial court’s bias toward the prosecution and law enforcement in violation of a defendant’s constitutional right to due process.