‘ Why did you run the stop sign?’ — “ I was in a hurry.’

‘ Why did you run the stop sign?’ — “ I was in a hurry.’

Seems like an open- andshut case, Judge Thorne

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“If you plead guilty and say ‘whoo-wee, I never thought he’d do that to me,’ you can appeal any decision I make. Just be sure and get your appeal done right. Cross every t and dot every i because if your appeal isn’t done right or you don’t win the appeal, you will have to pay your original fine and do whatever time I gave you,” Judge Fred Thorne told the galley in West Memphis Municipal Court.

A man in jail was charged with no driver’s license, no tags, careless driving and obstruction of justice. He pled guilty to all charges.

“Whose name did you give?”

“My cousin?”

“Why?”

“Because I knew there were some outstanding warrants.”

“So what would you have said to your cousin if we had picked him up? Sorry, cuz, my bad?”

“I’m from Mississippi.”

“I know you are from Mississippi.”

“My birthday was the 10th and I went to the dog track.”

“$55 plus court costs on the driver’s license. $55 plus court costs on the tags.

$55 plus court costs on the careless driving. On the obstruction, $150 plus court costs and two days jail. As I have told others, think of the Mississippi River as the Rio Grande and don’t cross it again. Do you know who John Wayne is?”

“No.”

“John Wayne only saved the whole United States!

You should know who John Wayne is!”

A man in jail was charged with public intoxication.

He pled guilty.

“How old are you?”

“79.”

“You were at the dog track?”

“I thought I was at home.”

“What were you drinking?”

“I must have had a few beers.”

“I guess at your age you have the right to drink a little. Jail, let him out at noon.”

Another man in jail was charged with theft.

“How do you plead?”

“No contest.”

“You were at Big Star. You must have been getting ready for a party. You had Velveeta cheese and Rotel.

You can go to jail for a year. What were you thinking?”

“I wasn’t thinking.”

“You were on probation back in February. Now you are stealing again. Have a seat.”

A man charged with public intoxication pled guilty.

“You were drinking and went to the bathroom in a parked car?”

“I was waiting on someone to pick me up.”

“How much did you have to drink?”

“A couple of beers. I was waiting for my daughter to pick me up. I was going to see my grandchildren.”

“I drink a little, maybe a few beers a year but I NEVER drink when I am going to see my children or grandchildren. $250 plus court costs.”

The next man in jail was charged with driving on suspended and no insurance. His plead was guilty.

“Whose car were you in?” “A friend of mine.”

“How long had your license been suspended?”

“I’m working on getting it back.”

“$750 plus court costs on the driving on suspended and 15 days jail. $500 plus court costs on the insurance. You aren’t working hard enough on getting it back.”

Judge Fred Thorne A woman charged with driving on suspended, obstruction of justice and no tags pled not guilty to all charges.

“You have had five driving on suspendeds. I’ll make your total bond $7,500 and set your trial date for November 2nd.”

A man with charges of failure to stop at a stop sign and no insurance pled guilty to his charges.

“Why did you run the stop sign?”

“I was in a hurry.”

$65 plus court costs on the failure to stop. Do you want to go to Driver’s School to keep this off your record?”

“Yes, sir.”

“$350 plus court costs on the insurance.”

The next man called up was told by Judge Thorne, “I can’t believe you would come up before me and be on your phone! How do you plead to reckless driving?”

“No contest.”

“Loud music?”

“No contest.”

“And obstruction of justice?”

“No contest.”

“Why did you have loud music?”

“My music wasn’t loud, I was singing loud.”

“I’ll dismiss the reckless driving. Pay court costs on the loud music and $105 plus court costs on the obstruction. Go home and sing in the shower. I’ve heard you sing and it isn’t so good.”

A man in the courtroom was charged with careless driving and pled guilty.

“Why were you doing 90 mph?”

“I was late for work.”

“Where do you work?”

“Southland.”

“Don’t you work for a kennel?”

“Yes.”

“I know your boss. His people are always getting in trouble. Tell him that for me. Also ask him if I need to start screening his future employees. $55 plus court costs. Go to driver’s school. Tell him what I said.”

“I will.”

A woman who had written a hot $41 check to Flash Market asked for a week to hire an attorney.

“One week. Be back here next Friday. Pay the check before you come back.”

A man charged with no seat-belt pled guilty. To his harassment charge he pled no contest.

“Who is this person who put the harassment charge against you?”

“My uncle’s wife.”

“I want you back here next Friday and I want her here also. I want to hear both sides of this story.”

By the Evening Times News Staff