A few decades ago, I heard a story (and it is apparently true) of a court case for second-degree manslaughter. The defendant had a normal legal name, but his rap moniker was "Bloody Badass".
The prosecution obtained permission from the judge so that they could refer to the defendant throughout the trial, not by his legal name, but the name he took for himself: "Bloody Badass". The defense considered this a rather bad idea and attempted to overturn the case on appeal.
Now it seems that plenty of concrete evidence was provided, and a person's name does not directly convict of any crime at all, except against good taste. But can you imagine the mood in that courtroom as the jury and witnesses were repeatedly exposed, all day long, to the prosecution calling him by a name he wished to be known by?
Comments
A few decades ago, I heard a story (and it is apparently true) of a court case for second-degree manslaughter. The defendant had a normal legal name, but his rap moniker was "Bloody Badass".
https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ny-supreme-court/1281054.h...
The prosecution obtained permission from the judge so that they could refer to the defendant throughout the trial, not by his legal name, but the name he took for himself: "Bloody Badass". The defense considered this a rather bad idea and attempted to overturn the case on appeal.
Now it seems that plenty of concrete evidence was provided, and a person's name does not directly convict of any crime at all, except against good taste. But can you imagine the mood in that courtroom as the jury and witnesses were repeatedly exposed, all day long, to the prosecution calling him by a name he wished to be known by?