Rainy days and felonies get Judge Thorne down

Rainy days and felonies get Judge Thorne down

Sample testimony: ‘ I didn’t have any meth on me when they arrested me.’

news@theeveningtimes.com

Misty rain outside and a large crowd inside was the scene at West Memphis Municipal Court with Judge Fred Thorne presiding.

A woman with a felony charge (felony charges are brought up first each day at court) of possession of meth was told, “These are serious charges. Do you realize you could go to the penitutary?” “Yes, sir.”

“Have we met before?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Are you employed?”

“I work at home.”

“What do you do at home?” “I take care of my father-inlaw.”

“Do you get paid for taking care of him?”

“No.”

“Then how do you make it without money? No one can make it without money.”

“I do odds and ends. I cut grass. I clean houses.”

“See the public defender.”

The judge continued to say, “If you are a father or mother or husband or wife, with a marriage license, you can come up when someone is called. I’m old school.”

A woman charged with felony possession of meth said, “I didn’t have any meth on me when they arrested me.”

“Were you arrested with this other woman?”

“Yes.”

“How do you know her?”

“We are best friends.”

A man with felony assault of family member was asked, “How long since I’ve seen you?”

“A while.”

“Six months?”

“No, a year or two.”

“Are you working?”

“Not now. Had just got a job but I didn’t have a chance to make it.”

“You just got out of jail the 27th of August and you already got arrested again.”

“Me and my girlfriend got into it.”

“See the public defender.”

A man with a felony possession of firearm was asked, “Where do you live?” “West Memphis.”

“Do you have a job?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Where?”

“In Marion at a seed company.”

“How long have you been there?”

“Two months.”

“How much do you make a week?”

“$400 a week.”

“You had a previous felony in 2012?”

“Yes.”

“Who do you support?”

“My daughter and myself.” “Does she live with you?”

“No.”

The next man had charges of possession of schedule 1 or 2 drugs.

“Where do you live?”

“West Memphis.”

“How old are you?”

“69.”

“You are charged with possession of illegal drugs.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Do you get a check?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Who do you support?”

“My father.”

“How old is he?”

“94.”

“Who is watching him now?”

“My brother.”

SeeTHORNE on Page 3

Judge Fred Thorne “See the public defender.”

A man with felony charges of possession of drugs and fleeing was asked where he lived.

“Mississippi.”

“Can you afford an attorney?”

“Yes. I would like for you to set bond if possible.”

“I will.”

Aman with a felony charge of intimidating a witness said he lived in West Memphis.

“Do you have a felony pending?”

“Yes. I’ve been in jail for two months.”

“Talk to the public defender.”

The next man had possession of schedule 1 or 2 drug charges.

“Aren’t you the one with the eight foot marijuana plant?”

“Yes.”

“You had that charge and got out and they picked you up on another charge.”

“I didn’t understand that.”

“I signed a search warrant and then you got arrested again. See the public defender.”

A woman in the courtroom was charged with violation of animal care and pled guilty.

“What happened?”

“My dog had parvo and died. My daughter came down here and brought her kids and her dog.”

“What does that have to do with this?”

The representative from the shelter spoke, “I was called to the home about a dog that died from parvo. I told her not to have another dog there for six months because parvo lives in the dirt. I got another call that there was a dog at her house and it also had parvo.”

“Did you take your dog to the vet?”

“Yes, I did.”

“$200 plus court costs.”

A woman in the courtroom had a driving on suspended charge and she pled no contest.

“Your license was suspended because of no proof of insurance back in 2015.”

“My driver’s license was not suspended.”

“Change her plea to not guilty and she can come back for trial.”

The next man had brought proof of his income to see if he could qualify for using the public defender.

“You made $48,000 last year?:” “I had lots of expenses out of that.”

“You can use the public defender but you have to pay him $100 before your trial. Your charges were so bad you could go to jail for a year.”

A man in court had let someone drive his car.

“How do you plead to letting some drive your car with no driver’s license?”

“No contest.”

“With no insurance?”

“Not guilty.”

“Why did you let her drive?”

“I was too drunk to drive.”

“Is she here?”

“Yes.”

“Come on up. How do you plead to driving on suspended?”

“Not guilty.”

“Driving with no insurance?”

“Not guilty.”

“Let’s just change all the pleas to not guilty and we’ll settle this at a trial.”

A man in the courtroom was charged with no vehicle tags and making an unofficial tag.

“How do you plead?”

“Not guilty to both charges.”

“Haven’t you been in prison?”

“Yes.”

“Weren’t you making license

plates there? Be back here on your trial date.”

By the Evening Times News Staff