Judge detains five people over ringing cell phones!

[thewayne]

It's good to be the Judge!

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/COURTROOM_CELL_PHONE

CROWN POINT, Ind. (AP) -- A judge detained and questioned a row of spectators when a cell phone rang for a third time in her courtroom, later ordering two people to serve community service for contempt of court.

When no one admitted having the ringing phones Wednesday, Lake County Criminal Court Judge Diane Boswell told all five people in the row to sit in chairs reserved for jail inmates. They stayed there for more than an hour until the morning court call ended.

Boswell found three people in contempt of court because they initially refused to say who had the ringing phones.

Cynthia Cannon of Gary agreed to pay a $100 fine after admitting that her phone was one of those that went off. The judge ordered her to do community service, but Cannon declined, saying she can't work or sit for long periods of time due to a disability.

Verdell Berry Jr., of Merrillville, said he had two phones. One was off, the other he turned off when Boswell warned the gallery about the phones. The sound of it powering down is what she heard, Berry said.

He admitted he didn't speak up to explain that when Boswell first asked.

Shonique Freeman, of Gary, said she knew it was Berry's phone, but she didn't offer the information, either.

Boswell ordered both Berry and Freeman to serve 40 hours of community service.

"The next time you come to court, don't bring your cell phone," Boswell said. "And when the court asks a question, answer the question."

Comments

[deborak]

If you're okay with people being charged and sentenced on the spot without benefit of counsel, or opportunity to mount a defense, or judgment by a jury of their peers, I don't want to see any more anti-Bush posts from you.

Not trying to pick a fight, but this situation is just another representation of abuse of power to me.

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

A judge has always had the ability to sentence people to "Thirty days or thirty dollars" for contempt of court. That's all this seems to me. And you're right, it is being charged and sentenced on the spot, but it's always been that way (AFAIK/IANAL). I've never heard of anyone protesting that a contempt of court charge did not entail full due process, but my not having heard about it doesn't mean much.