38 replies to this topic

[NanuqoftheNorth]

MIAMI (AP) — A Miami woman has been jailed on contempt charges after flipping off a judge during a drug possession hearing.
Miami television station NBC 6 (http://bit.ly/WNQ60c ) reported that 18-year-old Penelope Soto laughed Monday when Circuit Judge Jorge Rodriguez-Chomat asked how much her jewelry was worth as he inquired about her financial assets.
The judge told Soto to be serious and Soto said she was being serious.
He set Soto's bond at $5,000 and said bye-bye. Soto laughed again and replied, "adios." He summoned her back and reset her bond at $10,000.
Soto asked whether the judge was serious and he said, "I am serious. Adios." http://bigstory.ap.o...-flipping-judge

[Floppin]

I witnessed a woman call the judge a nazi, while I was in court once.

It was a first appearance - all you're there for is to either procure a court appointed attorney or to sign a waiver to retain your own.

When it was her turn, she started blabbing out this story to proclaim her innocence. The Judge calmly explained to her that they wanted to know was whether she wanted a court appointed attorney or would be retaining her own. He explained it several times and the woman kept getting madder and madder.

She eventually called him a Nazi and tried to storm out of the court room. The judge ended up not sentencing her to contempt, but he did make her stand in front of the court room and apologize to everyone.

She was in court for failing to put her child into school and/or homeschooling with proper the proper licensing.

[beach]

hola crazy mamasita I would probably doa before she goa slita my throata

[SmootsDaddy89]

I would so hit that.

[mmmbeans]

30 days in jail? c'mon judgy... you gotta have thicker skin than that.


also, bond is a precautionary measure... not a punitive one... raising her bond because she pissed you off is out of line.

[Darth Biscuit]

While I understand that judges have to keep control of their courtrooms, judges have a LOT of unsupervised (for lack of a better term at the moment) power.

The bond thing was vindictive.

The 30 days in county was justified for her actions, but probably too much time... 15 would be more appropriate IMO...

Moral of the story, be serious and don't piss off the judge.

[Kurb]

30 days in jail? c'mon judgy... you gotta have thicker skin than that.


also, bond is a precautionary measure... not a punitive one... raising her bond because she pissed you off is out of line.

While she was disrespectful, I agree with you.
He was showing off b/c he didn't like her attitude.

[Scrumtrilescent]

And it was awesome!

[Floppin]

While I understand that judges have to keep control of their courtrooms, judges have a LOT of unsupervised (for lack of a better term at the moment) power.

The bond thing was vindictive.

The 30 days in county was justified for her actions, but probably too much time... 15 would be more appropriate IMO...

Moral of the story, be serious and don't piss off the judge.

Contempt of Court is a automatic 30 days. There's no lesser term.

edit: just looked that up. Apparently it's up to 30 days, but I've literally never seen a judge give less than 30 for contempt.

[Darth Biscuit]

Contempt of Court is a automatic 30 days. There's no lesser term.

edit: just looked that up. Apparently it's up to 30 days, but I've literally never seen a judge give less than 30 for contempt.

OK, so then... don't piss off the judge I guess or you'll spend a month in an orange jumpsuit.

The bond thing was just vindictive though...

[SZ James]

why did he up the amount for saying "adios"?

[Kurb]

why did he up the amount for saying "adios"?

It was her attitude throughout I think.

[longtriad]

I am glad she gave him cause to put her laughing ass in jail. You may get by disrespecting your school teachers, but not a judge. I bet she did not learn anything. It will take more. Maybe she will get more time for the dope.

[Mr. Scot]

A bit harsh, but to be fair she was an idiot for acting like she did.

Wouldn't surprise me if his suspicion she was on something turned out to be true.

And honestly, how stupid do you have to be to show up for court stoned? Especially given that it was a hearing on drug possession charges.

[mmmbeans]

A bit harsh, but to be fair she was an idiot for acting like she did.

Wouldn't surprise me if his suspicion she was on something turned out to be true.

And honestly, how stupid do you have to be to show up for court stoned?

part of the problem is they aren't actually in court... If she had been in court with a lawyer instead of standing in a holding cell looking at a camera I can almost guarantee you this wouldn't happen. It's not an excuse... but when prisoners aren't given actual hearings in order to save money... and the result is a 30 day sentence that we all agree could (and probably should) have been avoided... what's the takeaway?