‘ Why were you out at 4: 22 a. m. with a stolen handgun in your waistband?’

‘ Why were you out at 4: 22 a. m. with a stolen handgun in your waistband?’

Some questions just don’t have good answers

news@theeveningtimes.com

“I took care of 50 jail cases on Wednesday and now there are 40 new arrests on Friday,” Judge Fred Thorne announced from the bench in West Memphis Municipal Court. A man with a felony charge of possession of meth or cocaine was asked, “How many times have I seen you in the last two years? Do you have the means to hire an attorney?” “No, sir.”

“Are you employed?”

“No sir, not right now.”

“How long has it been since you’ve had a job?”

“Eight or nine months.”

“Who supports you?”

“No one.”

“No, sir, that is not true.

No one can live without any money. Everyone needs a place to live, food, soap. Now I’ll ask again, who supports you?”

“My wife and my grandma.”

“Is either one of them in court?”

“No.”

“See the public defender.”

A woman in jail was charged with tampering with physical evidence and meth or cocaine.

“Do you have the means to hire an attorney?”

“No, sir.”

“Where do you live?”

“Grassy Lakes, Earle.”

“Who supports you?”

“My boyfriend.”

“Is he in the courtroom?”

“No.”

“See the public defender.”

During his speech about how to plead the judge reminded the audience, “If you plead not guilty, you will sign a scheduling order and it will tell you when to be here for your trial. It will start at 8:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. Do not be late.”

To a person in the galley he asked, “Do you go to Arkansas State?”

“No, I go to ASU.”

The galley laughed.

A man in jail was charged with disorderly conduct, fleeing and loitering. He pled guilty to all charges.

“How old are you?”

“21.”

“Why were you out at 4:22 a.m. with a stolen handgun in your waistband?”

“ I didn’t have a gun.”

“The report says you were walking around east West Memphis with a handgun in your waistband. Who is this you were with?”

“My cousin. He was coming back from the store.”

“Did you run from the police?”

“I did run, my bad!”

“Yes it was your bad. $500 plus court costs on the fleeing. I’ll dismiss the disorderly and the loitering.”

A man in jail and a woman in the courtroom were both charged with harassment.

They both pled not guilty.

“Your trial date is Oct.

16.”

A woman in jail was charged with no driver’s license and failure to appear.

She pled guilty to both charges.

“Why didn’t you come to court?”

“I’ve never been in jail and I was afraid.”

“Well you are in jail now.

Are you still afraid? $65 plus court costs on the no driver’s license and $100 plus court costs on the failure to appear.”

A man in jail had charges of possession of marijuana and tampering with evidence. He pled ‘nolo’ to the charges.

“I was in the car with my sister. We were coming from the P.O. office.”

“Tell the people here what the P.O. office is.”

“The probation office.

They didn’t find any drugs on me.”

“What were you swallowing? A cough drop? What about the marijuana around your mouth? $500 plus court costs on the tampering with evidence. I’ll dismiss the possession.”

A man in jail was charged with 3rd degree battery, driving on suspended and disorderly conduct.

“How do you plead?”

“Guilty.”

“Can I ask you a question? Why did you use the “F” word in front of the police?”

“I don’t know. I was picking up a friend.”

“You knew you didn’t have a license and you drove to the parole office to pick him up? What about the battery?”

“They kissed and made up,” said the court attorney. “I’ll dismiss the battery.

$395 plus court costs and two days jail on the driving on suspended. $500 plus court costs on the disorderly conduct.” A man in jail pled guilty to theft charges.

“What possessed you to steal two bags of potato chips?”

“I was hungry.”

“Where do you live?”

“Points of Light.”

“Jail, let him out Sunday at noon.”

A man charged with criminal trespass pled no contest.

“I had me a little ticket and I wanted to cash it in.” “A $40 voucher? This will cost you more than that is worth. $250 plus court costs or three days jail.”

“I’ll take the three days jail.”

Another man in jail was charged with public intoxication and pled no contest.

“You drank quite a bit.”

“Yes. Blue top.”

“Is that pretty expensive?” “Yeah. $5.25 a pint.”

“Let him out at noon on Sunday.”

A man in jail was asked, “How do you plead to possession of marijuana?” “Guilty.”

Obstruction of justice?”

Judge Fred Thorne “Guilty, sir. I was in the process of getting my name changed.”

“How did you come up with that name?”

“I don’t know sir. I was visiting my family and trying to get a job. It is a family name, sir.”

“$500 plus court costs and one year suspended.”

A woman charged with no insurance and failure to stop at a stop sign pled no contest to both charges.

“Why didn’t you come in on your trial date.”

“I didn’t know what day it was.”

“Didn’t you sign a scheduling order? It had the date and time on it. $295 plus court costs on the insurance. $35 plus court costs on the stop sign.”

A woman in the courtroom was charged with driving on suspended and careless driving and pled no contest to each charge.

“I’m going to as class tomorrow to get my driver’s license.”

“You were passing people on the right side? On the shoulder?”

“I waited a long time for them to move and then I needed to go.”

“$295 plus court costs and two days house arrest on the driving on suspended.

$55 plus court costs on the careless driving.”

The jail, the courtroom and the parking lot were all full. The day would continue and be a long one for Judge Fred Thorne.

By the Evening Times News Staff