By Police1 Staff
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — A judge has enacted a policy barring off-duty police officers from wearing their uniforms or other insignia while in attendance of the trial for a man accused of killing a Brevard County sheriff’s deputy.
Judge Morgan Reinman enacted the policy after Brandon Bradley’s attorney argued that a “sea of blue” in the courtroom would influence the jury and prevent Bradley from a fair trial. He is accused of fatally shooting deputy Barbara Pill at a traffic stop in 2012, according to Florida Today.
The policy barring the wearing of uniforms does not apply to witnesses and court deputies.
Bradley is charged with first-degree murder for the death of Pill, who pulled Bradley over for allegedly stealing from a motel, according to WFTV. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
Andria Kerchner, who was in the suspect’s vehicle at the time of the shooting, pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact to first-degree murder. She was sentenced to 12 years in prison. As part of her plea deal with the state, Kerchner has agreed to testify truthfully in Bradley’s trial.