Judge lets makeup artist cover suspect's face tattoos

In Florida, a neo-Nazi is on trial for murder, and the judge is letting a licensed cosmetologist -- at taxpayer expense -- cover up the guy's tattoos on his face and neck.

"This on the side says 'f--- you,' (and) is very offensive regardless of whether he had it (at the time of the crime) or didn't have it," defense attorney Bjorn Brunvand argued in court Friday.

Brunvand told the Times that Ditullio, while in jail, acquired a tattoo that looks like a barbed wire going down one side of his face. He also got a swastika tattoo on his neck, too high up to be covered by a shirt collar.

The fear is that jurors will be prejudiced by the guy's tattoos and convict based on that.

Comments

[pearl]

Let me see......He has a swatstika tattooed on his neck, and they are worried about a biased jury?

[Jellybean]

If you're that offended by the F word, you're probably much too delicate to sit in on a murder trial. I'll bet there's violence involved. And a witness might even quote some cursing (oh my).

Although, I wouldn't be surprised if jurors have trouble telling the diffence between one who may swastika his head and one who might be a violent lunatic. I'll bet there is a lot of crossover in those two groups. A whole lot.

[JUNGLE JIM]

They should make him up something different every day. Like the Joker or a zombie or Frankenstein or something different.

"Gray skies are gonna clear up, put on a happy face"!

[Marvin]

Not much different than the prostitutes who dress up as professionally and demurely as a librarian in court. Of course, they probably already had the outfit for roleplaying with johns.

[Kevin]

This type of thing goes on all the time. Defense attorneys are quick to make sure their clients change into suits and such instead of going to court in a jail uniform and most don't want no visible shackles.

I think the expense was wll worth it to keep from having the possibility of an appeal or mistrial based on some juror being unduly influenced by it.

[FanDanGo]

You're kidding. You get all inked up to hang out with your peers and the idea a jury of your ... peers ... might be offended frightens you? What kind of wimpy neo-Nazis weenies are they growing in Florida?

[Nemesis]

I want to see pictures of the MACHO MAN in makeup! I expect to see eyeliner, mascara and lip gloss!

[aqua]

he should, at the least, wear a t-shirt that says:

"who you looking at, a@@h()le!"

[roxorz]

It's called guyliner, Nemesis. :)

[JonDana]

what??? he got the tatoos since his arrest..while in cusody. So the jail lets him get the tats, then the tax payer pays for the coverup.
Insanity!!

[Tattoo Kits for sale]

I wonder how many of the jurists noticed

[Bobby Hearts]

I agree 100 percent with the judge. This is the only way the guy can get a fair trial.

[kybo61]

He's being tried for BEING a skinhead neo-nazi fool who kicked in the neighbor's house, killed a 17-year-old kid and stabbed a woman because she had a black friend -- while wearing a gas mask. I wonder if the jury would even notice his swastika, his Frankenstein facial art or his f***-you ink.

[keraj]

He chose to have those tattoos. They are permanent and he knew that when he got them. They are part of him and HE is on trial. Don't waste the tax people's money on an imbecile.

[Truth hurts]

Correct call. Maybe they should put blacks in white face.