"Man faces 6 months in jail for yawn"

[Faust]

"Man faces 6 months in jail for yawn"

By giving someone 6 months in jail for "disrespecting" him; this Judge shows he has the some mind as an inner city "yut" who thinks can be beat someone up for looking at him the wrong way...

Ill. man faces 6 months in jail for yawning

(AP) – 7 hours ago

JOLIET, Ill. — Drowsy spectators in one suburban Chicago courtroom might want to stifle their yawns from now on. Clifton Williams, 33, of Richton Park, is facing six months in jail for making what court documents call a yawn-like sound in Will County Judge Daniel Rozak's court last month. The yawn happened as Williams' cousin, Jason Mayfield, was being sentenced for a drug charge on July 23...

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...7HRXgD9A0UJ200

[Oklahomaman]

It's another example of the unchecked power to jail people judges freely wield in (and sometimes outside) their courtroom. There was another case in NY where a judge sent every single defendant (45+ people) in an alternative DUI sentencing program to jail because of one instance of a cell phone ringing in court although ultimately this judge was removed from the bench for doing so. I do appreciate that fact that a judge may need to immediately jail disruptive people to maintain order but there must be limits and oversight. I think judges should be held liable for malicious prosecution and false arrest/imprisonment claims arising from abuse of contempt proceedings.

[Angler]

That judge needs to be taken off the bench immediately. He's as sick in the head as a typical cop and on just as big a power trip: "If you offend me personally, I'll use my position to punish you while hiding behind the protection of the state."

In a healthy society, a judge like that would give new meaning to the term "hanging judge."

[roho]

Feel the "Power" in my Court!

[amundsen]

A decent judge would have stopped the proceedings and addressed the man immediately. He would have informed him that he was disrupting court and that any further interruptions would result in contempt of court. Usually a warning is given to folks.

[lnelson]

They yawner was called back before the judge and released after
three weeks in custody. "We're happy about it," said his aunt, Cheryl
Mayfield. "We'll all sit down and decide what we need to do next.
This needs to be expunged from his record."

[Faust]

lnelson,

I had assumed the moron was an Afro.

[lnelson]

Yes, he was a relative of the drug dealer being tried. A few details: During sentencing, he did indeed yawn, as people sometimes do. But he intentionally made a very loud, exaggerated yawning noise as well -- literally displaying his contempt for the judge and the court's proceedings. This is what the judge objected to.

[amundsen]

Yes, he was a relative of the drug dealer being tried. A few details: During sentencing, he did indeed yawn, as people sometimes do. But he intentionally made a very loud, exaggerated yawning noise as well -- literally displaying his contempt for the judge and the court's proceedings. This is what the judge objected to.

It is contempt and you cant tolerate it. 6 months in jail is certainly unfair though. And probably a waste of resources. Its not like this afro will learn anything from the experience.

[Faust]

lnelson,

Yes, I knew all that when I started this thread, this guy is a low-life and may well sell a few "rocks" himself. The judge should have just had this moron thrown out the building.

amundsen,

You are very Right.

It is contempt and you cant tolerate it. 6 months in jail is certainly unfair though. And probably a waste of resources. Its not like this afro will learn anything from the experience.