‘ I have been dealing with you since way back in the ‘ 90’ s’

‘ I have been dealing with you since way back in the ‘ 90’ s’

Judge Thorne having flashbacks in District Court

news@theeveningtimes.com

Three men called up on felony charges were told by Judge Fred Thorne, West Memphis District Court Judge, “I don’t need to waste my time talking y’all. Go talk to the public defender.

Another man called up on a felony charge was charged with breaking and entering.

“How old are you?”

“19.”

“He engaged me yesterday,” said the public defender.

“Set him up for trial,” said the judge.

Another man with a felony charge was asked, “Weren’t you here not long ago on a misdemeanor charge?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I see you are movin’ on up! Do you have a job?”

“Yes. I help my uncle paint.”

“How much do you get paid in cash?”

“I can’t afford an attorney.”

A woman who also had a felony theft charge came forward.

“Where do you live?”

“West Memphis.”

“Are you related to another man with the same last name?”

“Yes, that’s my cousin.”

“You are accused of stealing around $2600 from Walmart. Do you have the means to hire an attorney?”

“No.”

“Go see the public defender.”

A man with a felony charge was charged with possession of a firearm times two and possession of meth.

“I have been dealing with you since way back in the ‘90’s. Do you remember the guy who got shot in the grocery store parking lot?”

“Yes, sir.”

“The guy died. See I remember you. Do you work?”

“Yes, at a mechanic shop.”

“How long?”

“Three months. I help clean up around the shop and stuff.”

“How much do you make a week?”

“$100 sometimes less.”

“Go see the public defender.”

A man in jail was charged with DWI and refusal to take the test. He pled not guilty.

“If you make bond you can get out of jail. Be back for a trial on October 18th.”

A man in jail was asked by Judge Thorne, “Where do you live?”

“Memphis Union Mission.”

“Have you been here before?”

“Yes, on a theft at Walmart.”

“You told the officer that you wanted to jump off the bridge?”

“Yes. I still do.”

“I’m going to get you evaluated. Why were you here?”

“My father works here and lives in Memphis.”

“Be back here on Monday with the evaluation.”

A man was in jail because he didn’t perfect his appeal.

“You have 15 days.”

His father was in the court room and spoke up, “He is still in school. Is there any way you could let him do his time after school? I made phone calls trying to find out about this.”

“If that were my son, I would have been up here trying to straighten it out, not making phone calls!”

To the man in jail, Judge Thorne asked, “How did you screw up?”

“They didn’t call me that I had to come back.”

“They DON’T call! Jail, he can do time on the weekends. He has to be in there Friday through Sunday. Let him out this Sunday morning at 8 a.m.

He has to be back every weekend till he makes his time.”

The next man in jail was charged with driving on suspended and having three children in the car without proper restraint.

He pled guilty to both charges.

“Whose children did you have in the car?”

“Those were my children.”

“You have had six driving on suspendeds. This is your seventh! I am on my soapbox! I always say children and pets can’t pick their parents. Why were you here in Arkansas?”

“My child had to go to the hospital. My wife lives here.”

“You can’t legally drive your children anywhere!”

“$750 plus court costs. 30 days house arrest. You will be on probation six months. I’ll merge the three counts on the car seats into one. $75 plus court costs on that. You will have to go to parenting classes. Be back here for a review on November 7th. Bring something from driver’s class saying what you need to do to get your driver’s license back.”

A woman in jail was charged with two counts of criminal trespass and was supposed to bring proof she went to an interview at Walmart.

“Where’s your proof?”

“It is back in my room. I got arrested last night outside the motel.” “The report says you were on the back parking lot of the truck stop just like before.”

“I had been to the grocery. I had an armload of groceries.”

“I hope your groceries don’t go bad. You’ve got 30 days.”

A man in jail charged with public intoxication pled guilty.

“The report says you could barely stand up.

What were you drinking?”

“I had a beer.”

“What about the vodka in your pocket.”

“Yeah, I had a 1/2 pint.”

“What do you do for a living?”

“I was going to the ministry to get some help.”

“What about the last two times?”

“I was serious this time.”

The galley laughed.

“10 days.”

A man charged with domestic battery and failure to appear pled no contest to both charges.

His sister was in the courtroom. “I have his papers here that show his release date.”

“He was in jail when he was supposed to appear?”

“Yes.”

Another woman stood up.

“I am the complainant. I want to drop the charges.”

“You can’t do that.”

“There is a subpoena out on her,” said the bailiff.

“Have a seat. You are under arrest. There may be a felony warrant on you.

Sit on the front row, you are not leaving.”

“$500 plus court costs and one year suspended. You are on probation for one year.”

To the lady on the front row, “You probably don’t realize this but I am trying to protect you and your children.”

A woman in jail was called up.

“You were in court and I released you to go to Memphis for treatment but you got out of the car at the hospital and ran away.

Your parents are here.”

“Those are not my parents!”

“Jail, have her evaluated.” Her father spoke, “She didn’t even get in the hospital. We are trying to get guardianship over her.”

“There is no bond on her.

She is a danger to herself.

I’ll keep her in jail until Wednesday if I have to.”

A young man was charged with possession of alcohol. He pled no contest.

“How old are you?”

“20. I didn’t have alcohol in my possession.”

“If the officer smells alcohol on your breath, the alcohol in your body makes you able to be charged with possession if you are under 21.”

“I wasn’t driving. I was on a bike.”

“I don’t care if you was on a skateboard. You can be charged with possession.”

“Do you have a girlfriend?”

“Yeah. You see her all the time in here with me. She is pretty much my wife.”

“Pretty much your wife?

When I was your age we had to have a job and a car. Now all they want is for you to be breathing.”

“I got a car.”

“You were on a bicycle!

Do you have a job?”

“I don’t have a job right now but I am getting another one. I make good money.”

“I don’t care. Stay out of court. $150 plus court costs. I’ll dismiss the other charges.”

By the Evening Times News Staff