Covering racist tattoos for jurors is a cowardly act

Sometimes in an attempt to guarantee a fair trial, extraordinary measures are put in place. We disagree with some, but holding a fair trial for someone accused of a crime is the cornerstone of our justice system. OK, we support that. What's troubling, though, is when taxpayer money is spent to hire a makeup artist to cover the tattoos of an accused murderer on trial in Tampa.

Neo-Nazi John Ditullio is on trial for murder and attempted murder. He allegedly committed this crime because one young man spoke to another man of a different race, and he was homosexual.

Ditullio's face and neck are covered in tattoos, ranging from swastikas to barbed wire to obscenities and other markings showing his Nazi and anti-social beliefs. For trial, though, the judge allowed the defense to pay $125 of taxpayer money a day to a makeup artist to cover some of the tattoos so they wouldn't sway a jury.

The tattoos being covered are the ones he received after being arrested, while in jail. The tattoos that were visible at the time of his arrest are not being covered. We find it ludicrous than any of them are covered at all.

Ditullio clearly wants his racism to be seen by everyone. That's why he's inked his face, and neck. For some reason, though, he doesn't want jurors to see these tats.

Our court system should not pay for a makeup artist to hide these symbols of hate that he proudly displays any other time. It's not like he did it involuntarily.

We believe Mr. Ditullio deserves a fair trial and if that means he's supplied a suit to wear rather than jail coveralls, fine. But no taxpayer dollar should be spent covering the tattoos on his face and neck that convey what he is, or at least what he wants the rest of the world to see.

It's cowardly of him to be so cocky about how he hates people of other races but then frightened of jurors who seek justice. It shows what kind of man he is. Then again, we already know.