‘ What were you drinking while riding on that bicycle?’

‘ What were you drinking while riding on that bicycle?’

This is what it’s come to in Judge Thorne’s courtroom… drunk cycling

news@theeveningtimes.com

West Memphis District Court on Friday began with felony cases. Judge Fred Thorne called the first man charged with possession of firearm by certain persons.

“Where do you live?”

“I am moving here from Oklahoma.”

“Go talk to the public defender.”

The next man had charges of possession of schedule one or two drugs.

“Where do you live?”

“West Memphis.”

“Are you employed?”

“I work for myself.”

“How old are you?”

“64.”

“Did you say 54?”

“No, I said 64.”

“Talk to the public defender.”

A man charged with possession of schedule two drugs was also asked where he lived.

“Apartments in West Memphis.”

“How long have you lived there?”

“Two years.”

“Where do you work?”

“At a gas station.”

“How much do you make a week?”

“400.”

“Where is this station that you work at?”

“On West Broadway.”

“Does your boss know you are in jail?”

“Nobody knows.”

“See the public defender.”

A woman with a felony robbery charge was asked, “When’s the last time I saw you.”

“It’s been a long time.”

“You had a credit card charge.”

“It’s not been since then.

That was in January.”

“So a long time is five months? Are you still going to court on your last charges?”

“Yes.”

“See the public defender.”

A man in jail was charged with public intoxication and pled guilty.

“What do you do for a living?”

“I am disabled.”

“You have had lots of public intoxication charges.

What can we do to make you a social drinker and not a nuisance?”

“I don’t know.”

“How much is your check?”

“$750.”

“$100 plus court costs.”

After the next two people were called and sent to talk to the public defender, Judge Thorne explained, “I am sending everybody that was caught stealing from Walmart to the public defender.”

A man and woman were called up together.

“How do you plead to loitering?”

“No contest,” said the man.

“No contest,” said the woman.

“My son is also with us.”

“Is he in jail, too?”

“Yes.”

“Well bring him up too. It is family day! How do you plead to loitering?”

“No contest.”

“Is he your step-son?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You and your wife and step-son were sleeping in a tent behind Sears and they asked you to leave several times.”

“That make-shift tent was already there. We were trying to get out of town but we didn’t have any money. I met a guy who was going to give me a camper and a job.”

“You told me you were leaving town the last time you was in here. Where does this guy live that was going to give you a camper and a job?”

“Forrest City.”

“Jail, let the wife and the son out tomorrow at noon.

The man is in jail for 15

Judge Fred Thorne days. Ma’am bring the man in here Monday and if this story is true, I’ll let your husband out.”

“They don’t have a place to go, sir,” said the man.

“I have a sister in Millington,” said the wife.

“Bring the man in here on Monday who said he was going to give your husband a job or he does 15 days.

Lie to me once, yes, lie to me twice, no!”

A man in jail was charged with public intoxication and pled guilty.

“Do you have a nickname?”

“Yes, sir. It’s Diddy.”

“What were you drinking while riding on that bicycle?”

“A half-pint of blue top.”

“Do you get a check?”

“No, sir. I work part time for West Memphis.”

“Is there any hope to help you out?”

“I need to quit drinking.”

“How old are you?”

“55.”

“I have a sheet on your from 2002. I’m just looking at the public intoxications.

There were 14 in the last 16 years. Not counting the ones where you didn’t get caught. $250 plus court costs and three days suspended or $100 plus court costs and you go to Mid-South and see if they can help you with your drinking problem. Which do you want?”

“I want to go to Mid-South.”

“It’s on 7th Street. You can ride your bicycle down there.”

A man with charges of resisting arrest, public intoxication and disorderly conduct pled guilty to all charges.

“Is there anything you want to tell me?”

“Not really.”

“How much were you drinking?”

“96 ounces of beer.”

“$500 plus court costs and 15 days jail on the public intoxication. I’ll dismiss the other charges.”

A woman in jail was charged with illegally trespassing and loitering. She pled no contest to the trespassing and not guilty to the loitering. She later changed her loitering plea to no contest.

“Why were you in those tents behind Freds?”

“I wasn’t living there I was spending the night. I just got released from the hospital. I broke my toe there when I slid down the bank.”

The man with her was asked, “How do you plead to loitering and illegal trespassing?”

“No contest. Sir we are leaving this whole state.”

“Do you beg for a living?” “We work for carnivals.

They send us a bus ticket and we go where they are.

They take the price of the ticket out of our paycheck.” “Let them out at noon tomorrow. If you come back here you will get 15 days jail.”

“I need to go back to the campsite and get my stuff and my purse,” said the woman.

“I’ll give you time to go back to the campsite. From noon today until noon Monday to get out.”

By the Evening Times News Staff