Historically in Europe the Defendants in criminal trials would be required to sit in a cage in the courtroom. In England these cages would sometimes have subterranean staircases so that the prisoner would not even be able to walk to the cage, but would be led up from the depths. Of course, in the American view the cage is highly prejudicial to the Defendant's right of the presumption of innocence, and is not used. I don't believe that the Ukrainian courts actually use the cage anymore, but it was formerly in use. There is an old mock trial courtroom in the law school at the University of Economics and Law (also known as "KROK") with a prisoner's cage. It was suggested that I sit in the cage for a picture, which is at left. The young woman next to the cage is Ludmilla, one of the outstanding law student presenters from today.
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